THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

GIFT  OF 

William  E.   Colby 


Bronze  Figure  of  Amida  at  Kamakura.      Cast  by  Ono  Goroyemon,  1252 
A.  D.     Foundation-stones  of  Original  Temple  seen  to  left  of  Illustration. 

Photographed   by  the  Author. 


TEMPLE  TREASURES 
OF  JAPAN 


BY 
GARRETT  CHATFIELD  PIER 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERIC  FAIRCHILD  SHERMAN 
MCMXIV 


Copyright,  1914,  by 
Frederic  Fairchild  Sherman 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Bronze  Figure  of  Amida  at  Kamakura.  Cast  by 
Ono  Goroyemon,  1252  A.  D.  Foundation- 
stones  of  Original  Temple  seen  to  left  of 
Illustration Frontispiece 

«„,  Facing 

**«•  Page 

1.  Kala,   Goddess   of  Art.    Dry   lacquer.    Tempyo   Era, 

728-749.     Repaired    during    the    Kamakura    Epoch 
(i3th  Century).    Akishinodera,  Yamato  .     16 

2.  Niomon.    Wood,    painted.     First    Nara    Epoch    (711 

A.D.).    Horyuji,  Nara 16 

3.  Kondo  or  Main  Hall.    First  Nara  Epoch  (711  A.D.). 

Horyuji,  Nara 16 

4.  Kwannon.     Copper,   gilt.     Suiko    Period    (591    A.  D.). 

Imperial  Household  Collection.    Formerly  Horyuji, 
Nara 16 

5.  Shaka   Trinity.    Bronze.    Cast   by   Tori    (623    A.  D.) 

Kondo  Horyuji 17 

6.  Yakushi.    Bronze.    Cast  by  Tori  (607  A.  D.).    Kondo, 

Horyuji 17 

7.  Kwannon.    Wood.    Korean  (?)  Suiko  Period,  593-628, 

or  Earlier.    Nara  Museum,  Formerly  in  the  Kondo, 
Horyuji 17 

8.  Kwannon.    Wood,  Korean  (?)  Suiko  Period,  593-628, 

or  Earlier.    Main  Deity  of  the  Yumedono,  Horyuji  .     17 

9.  Portable     Shrine     called     Tamamushi     or     "Beetle's 

Wing"  Shrine.    Wood  painted.     Suiko  Period,  593- 
628  A.D.     Kondo,  Horyuji 32 

10.  Kwannon.    Wood.     Attributed     to     Shotoku     Taishi, 

Suiko  Period,  593-628.     Main  Deity  of  the  Nunnery 
of  Chuguji.    Horyuji 32 

11.  Kwannon.    Wood.     Suiko  Period,  593-628  or  Earlier. 

Koryuji    (Uzemasa)    near    Kyoto 32 

12.  Shaka     Trinity.    Bronze.     Probably     Tenchi-Temmei 

Period,  668-686.    Kondo,  Horyuji 32 

13.  Bronze   Screen   Behind   Shaka   Trinity   Illustrated  in 

Figure  12.     Tenchi-Temmei  Period,  668-686.     Kondo, 
Horyuji 33 

14.  Chandra.    Wood,  gilt.     Seventh  Century  A.  D.    Hory- 

uji      33 

v 


M909021 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Pa«e 

15.  Wall    Painting,    The    Yakushi    Trinity.     First    Nara 

Epoch  (711  A.D.  ?).    Interior  of  the  Kondo,  Hory- 
uji      33 

16.  Wall  Painting,  The  Shaka  Trinity.    First  Nara  Epoch 

(711  A.D.  ?).    Interior  of  the  Kondo,  Horyuji  .     .     33 

17.  Shaka.     Clay,  Originally  gilt.     First  Nara  Epoch  and 

about  708-724.    Koryuji  (Uzemasa)   near  Kyoto     .     36 

18.  Kwannon.     Wood,  painted.    About  Tempei  Era,  749- 

767.     Kondo,  Horyuji .     36 

19.  Pagoda.     Suiko    Period    (616    A,  D.)    or    First    Nara 

Epoch  (711  A.D.).     Horyuji 36 

20.  Statuettes.     Clay,  painted  in  polychrome.    First  Nara 

Epoch  (711  A.  D.  ?).    Pagoda,  Horyuji     ....     36 

21.  Kwannon.    Lacquer,  gilt.    End  of  First  Nara  Epoch, 

724-749.     Shorinji,   Yamato 37 

22.  Yakushi.    Wood,   gilt.     School   of   Jocho    (i2th   Cen- 

tury).   Yakushido,  Horyuji 37 

23.  Yumedono.    Wood,  Plaster.    Eighth  Century.    Hory- 

uji.   "Nippon  Seikwa" 37 

24.  Kwannon.    Wood,  plain.    Eighth  Century.    Horyuji  .     37 

25.  A  Bodhisattva.    Bronze,  gilt.     Seventh  Century.     Im- 

perial Household  Collection.    "Nippon  Seikwa"  .      .     44 

26.  Statue    of    the    Priest    Gi-en.     Dry    lacquer.    Eighth 

Century.     Okadera,   Yamato 44 

27.  The  Dembodo.    The  Hanging  Canopies  are  Relics  of 

the  Ikaruga  Palace  of  the  Seventh  Century.    Hory- 
uji      44 

28.  Pagoda.     Early   part   of   the    Eighth    Century.    Yak- 

ushiji,    Nara 44 

29.  Yakushi.    Bronze  (Shakudo).     Cast  by  Gyogi  Bosatsu, 

Early  Part  of  the  Eighth  Century.     Main  Deity  of 
the  Kondo  of  Yakushiji.    Nara.     "Nippon  Seikwa"  .     45 

30.  Chandra   the    Lunar   Deity.     Bronze    (shakudo).    At- 

tendant of  Same.    Yakushiji,  Nara.    "Nippon  Seik- 
wa"     45 

31.  Surya  the   Solar  Deity.    Bronze   (shakudo).    Attend- 

ant of  Same.    Yakushiji,  Nara.    "Nippon  Seikwa"  .     45 

32.  Pedestal  of  Figure  29.    Bronze  (shakudo).    By  Gyogi 

the  Korean,  Early  Eighth  Century.     Yakushiji,  Nara. 
"Nippon  Seikwa" 45 

33.  Kwannon.    Bronze.    Late    Seventh    to    early    Eighth 

Century.    Toindo,  Yakushiji,  Nara 48 

34.  Kwannon.    Wood,  painted.     End  of  Eighth  Century. 

Toindo,  Yakushiji,  Nara.    Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"    48 

35.  Nakatsuhime.    Wood,   painted.    End    of   Ninth    Cen- 

tury.   Yakushiji,  Nara.    Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .     48 

vi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

36.  Sogyo    Hachiman.    Wood,    painted.    End    of    Ninth 

Century.    Yakushiji,  Nara 48 

37.  Sri.    Painting    on    Coarse    Hemp.    Eighth    Century. 

Yakushiji,  Nara 49 

38.  Portrait   in    Colours   on    Silk   of   the    Chinese   Priest 

Tzu-en.    Attributed     to     the      Eleventh      Century. 
Yakushiji,  Nara 49 

39.  A    Goddess   Painting   on   Wood.    By    Giogon    (1295) 

in   the   Style   of   Fujiwara  Artists   of  the   Eleventh 
Century.    Yakushiji,  Nara.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .      .     49 

40.  Shaka.    Wood.        Attributed    to    the    Priest    Kosho 

(i3th  Century).    Saidaiji,  Nara    .......     49 

41.  Reliquary.     Bronze,   gilt.     Said   to   have   belonged   to 

the    Abbot    Eison    (i3th    Century).     Chinese,    Sung 

Dynasty   (?).     Saidaiji,  Nara.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .  64 

42.  Kondo.    Erected  759  A.  D.    Toshodaiji,  Nara    ...  64 

43.  Interior  of  the  Same 64 

44.  Rushana.     Lacquer,    gilt.     Attributed    to    the    Priest 

Shitaku.    Eighth  Century.    Toshodaiji,  Nara       .     .     64 

45.  Yakushi.     Lacquer,     gilt.    Attributed    to    the    Priest 

Shitaku.    Eighth  Century.    Toshodaiji,  Nara       .     .     65 

46.  Kwannon  (San-ju).    Lacquer,  gilt.    Artist  Unknown. 

Eighth      Century.    Toshodaiji,  Nara 65 

47.  Interior  of  the  Kodo.    Eighth  Century.    Toshodaiji, 

Nara.    "Nippon  Seikwa" 65 

48.  Miroku.    Wood,  gilt.    Attributed  to  the  Priest  Gun- 

poriki.    Eighth  Century.    Kodo,  Toshodaiji,  Nara  .     65 

49.  Memorial-Statue    of    the    Abbot    Kwanshin.    Eighth 

Century.    Kaisando,      Toshodaiji,     Nara.    "Nippon 
Seikwa" 68 

50.  Kinkara.    Wood,    painted.    School    of    Unkei    (early 

i3th  Century).    Toshodaiji,  Nara 68 

51.  Sarira  Stupa.    Bronze,  gilt.    Said  to  have  been  pre- 

sented  by    the    Shogun    Yoritomo.     Chinese,    Sung 
Dynasty  (?).    Toshodaiji,  Nara 68 

52.  Picture-roll.     Colours   on   Paper.    Life   of   Kwanshin. 

By     Rengyo      (1298).    Toshodaiji;     Nara.    Tajima, 
"Selected   Relics" 68 

53.  Sangwatsudo.    Erected  by   Roben   in   733;   Enlarged 

1199-1200.    Todaiji,  Nara 68 

54.  Interior  of  Same.    Eighth  Century.    "Nippon  Seikwa"    69 

55.  Kwannon.     Lacquer,    gilt.     Attributed    to    the    Priest 

Roben  (8th  Century).     Sangwatsudo,  Nara     ...     69 

56.  Brahma.     Clay.    First    Nara    Epoch,    708-749.    Sang- 

watsudo, Nara 69 

vii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Pig.  Pase 

57.  Komokuten.    Dry   Lacquer.    Date   about   741.    Sang- 

watsudo,  Nara .69 

58.  Vajrapani    (Indra).     Clay.     First    Nara    Epoch,    708- 

749).     Sangwatsudo,   Nara 76 

59.  Memorial-Statue  of  the  Abbot  Roben.    Wood.     Sec- 

ond Nara  Epoch  (after  773).  Robendo,  Todaiji, 
Nara 76 

60.  Front  of  the  Daibutsuden  or  Hall  of  the  Great  Bud- 

dha.   Rebuilt  1708.    Todaiji,  Nara 76 

61.  Bronze  Lantern.     Formerly  fronted  Daibutsuden  and 

now  in  Nara  Museum.  First  Nara  Epoch  (Tempyo) 
and  Repaired  in  the  years  1101  and  1669.  Todaiji, 
Nara 76 

62.  Narayana    (Brahma).    Wood,    coloured.    By    Unkei, 

about  1190-1203.  Height  26  ft.  3  inches.  Todaiji, 
Nara.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics." 77 

63.  Vajrapani  (Indra).    Wood,  coloured.     Height  26  ft.  3 

inches.  By  Kwaikei  (An-ami),  about  1190-1203. 
Todaiji,  Nara 77 

64.  The  Emperor  Ojin,  as  Hachiman.    By  Kwaikei,  about 

1193-1202.  Kangaku-in,  Todaiji.  Tajima,  "Selected 
Relics" 77 

65.  Brahma.    Rock-carving,    Exterior    Lung-men    Caves, 

Honan,  China.    Date  circa  672-675  A.  D 77 

66.  Komokuten.     Clay,  painted.    First  Nara  Epoch,   708- 

749.    Kaidan-in,  Todaiji,  Nara.     "Nippon  Seikwa"  .     80 

67.  Memorial-statue   of   the   Priest   Shunjo.     About   1195. 

Shunjodo,  Todaiji,  Nara.    Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"    80 

68.  Painting  on   Screen.    Date  about  752-756   A.  D.     Im- 

perial Household  Collection.     Shoso-in,  Nara     .      .     80 

69.  Painting  on   Silk,  The  Shaka  Trinity  and   Disciples. 

First  Fujiwara  Epoch,  888-986.    Todaiji,  Nara     .      .     81 

70.  Portrait   in    Colours   on    Silk   of   the   Priest   Hsiang- 

hsiang.  Chinese,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty,  dated 
1185.  Todaiji,  Nara  . 80 

71.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk  of  One  of  Sixteen  Rakan. 

Attributed  to  the  Chinese  artist  Yen  Hui  (Ganki)  of 
the  Yuan  Dynasty.  Todaiji  Nara 81 

72.  Yuima.    Wood,    painted.    Attributed    to    Jokei,    1196. 

Kofukuji,  Nara 81 

73.  Vajrapani  (Indra).    Wood,  painted.     By  Jokei,  about 

1190-1198.     Kofukuji,  Nara 96 

74.  Kwannon.    Wood,    painted.     By    Jokei,    about    1190- 

1198.     Kyoto  Imperial  Museum 96 

75.  Hexagonal  Lantern.     Bronze,  cast  816  A.  D.     Front- 

ing Nanendo,   Kofukuji,  Nara 96 

viii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Tig.  Page 

76.  Memorial-Statue    of    the    Priest    Genpin.    Thirteenth 

Century.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial 
Museum 96 

77.  Vajrapani  (Indra).    Wood,  painted.     By  Jitsugen  (?), 

about  1190-1198.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara 
Imperial  Museum 97 

78.  Two    Demigods.    Dry    Lacquer,    coloured    and    gilt. 

First  Nara  Epoch,  and  about  724-749.  Formerly  in 
Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial  Museum  ....  97 

79.  Two   Disciples  of  Shaka.     Dry  Lacquer.    First  Nara 

Epoch  and  about  724-749.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji, 
now  in  Nara  Imperial  Museum 97 

80.  Komokuten.     Dry     Lacquer.    Early     Ninth     Century. 

Formerly  in  Hokuendo,  Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Im- 
perial Museum 97 

81.  Meikira-Taisho.    Half-relievo   on   Wood.     First   Fuji- 

wara  Epoch,  888-986.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now 
in  Nara  Imperial  Museum 112 

82.  Shaka.    Wood,   gilt.     Attributed   to   Jocho    (d.    1053). 

Kofukuji,  Nara.    "Imperial  Museum's  Publications"  112 

83.  Asanga.    Wood.     Attributed    to    Unkei,    circa    1208. 

Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial  Museum. 
"Imperial  Museum's  Publications" 112 

84.  Lantern    Upheld    by    the    Demon    Tentoki.    Wood, 

painted.  By  Koben  in  1215.  Formerly  Kofukuji, 
now  Nara  Imperial  Museum 112 

85.  Painting  on  Silk.    Jikokuten.     Attributed  to  the  Elev- 

enth Century.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara 
Imperial  Museum.  "Imperial  Museum's  Publica- 
tion"   113 

86.  Portrait  in  Colours  on  Silk  of  the  Chinese  Priest  Jion 

Daishi.  About  the  Eleventh  Century.  Kofukuji, 
Nara.  "Nippon  Seikwa" 113 

87.  Shin-Yakushiji.     Erected    in    the     7th    year    of    the 

Tempyo  Era  (745).     Nara.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .      .128 

88.  Yakushiji,    Wood,    gilt.     Attributed    to    the    Tenth- 

Eleventh   Centuries.     Shin-Yakushiji,  Nara     .     .     .113 

89.  Shaka.    Bronze.     Attributed    to    the    Sixth    or    Early 

Seventh  Century.  Shin-Yakushiji-Nara.  "Nippon 
Seikwa" 113 

90.  Vajra,     Attendant     of     Yakushi.     Clay.     First     Nara 

Epoch,  708-749.  Shin-Yakushiji,  Nara.  "Imperial 
Museum's  Publications" 128 

91.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk,  Nehanso  or  "Death  (nir- 

vana) of  Shaka."     Attributed  to  Yen  Hui  (Ganki), 
Yuan   Dynasty.     Shin-Yakushiji.    "Nippon   Seikwa"  129 
ix 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

92.  The  H6-6-do  or  "Phoenix  Hall."    Originally  a  Palace 

of  the  Fujiwara  Family.  Erected  1053.  Uji.  "Nip- 
pon Seikwa"  .  .  .  .  , 128 

93.  Weather   Vane.    Bronze,   about    1050.    H6-6-do,   Uji. 

"Nippon   Seikwa" .129 

94.  Amida.    Wood,  gilt.    By  Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.     H6- 

6-do,  Uji.    "Nippon  Seikwa" 129 

95.  Panel  Painting.     By   Takuma  Tamenari,   about   1051- 

1074.    H6-6-do,  Uji.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .      .      .      .128 

96.  Bronze  Bell.     Cast  about  1050.    Byodo-in,  Uji.    "Nip- 

pon Seikwa" 128 

97.  Hexagonal    Stone    Lantern.    Eleventh    Century    (?). 

Byodo-in,  Uji.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .      x    .      .      .      .   129 

98.  Amida.    Bronze.     Cast  (in  sections)  by  Ono  Goroye- 

mon  in  1252.    K6toku-in,  Kamakura 132 

99.  Memorial-statuette    of    the    Regent    Hojo    Tokiyori. 

Kamakura  School  of  the  Thirteenth  Century.  Ken- 
choji,  Kamakura.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  .  .132 

100.  Kwannon  in   Sumi   on   Silk.     Attributed  to   Keishoki 

(i5th  Century).  Kenchoji,  Kamakura.  Tajima, 
"Selected  Relics" 132 

101.  Detail  of  Picture-Roll  in  Colours  on  Paper.     Life  of 

the  Lady  Chujohime.  Sumiyoshi  Keion  (i3th  Cen- 
tury). Kwomyoji,  Kamakura 133 

102.  Another  Scene  from  Same.     Amida  and  Angels  Wel- 

come  the   Soul   of   Chujohime 133 

103.  Detail   of    Picture-Roll    Illustration   Incidents   in    the 

Life  of  the  Priest  Noye.  Attributed  to  Kaneyasu 
(i4th  Century).  Koryuji,  Kyoto 133 

104.  Sketch  in  Sumi  on  Paper.     Plan  of  the  Temple  Tofu- 

kuju  Attributed  to  Sesshu  (isth  Century).  Tofu- 
kuji, Kyoto 133 

105.  Interior  of  the  Sam-mon.    Erected  in  1236.    Tofukuji, 

Kyoto.    "Nippon   Seikwa" 140 

106.  Monju  of  a  Shaka  Trinity.     Colours  on  Silk.     Attrib- 

uted to  the  Chinese  artist  Wu  Tao-tze  (Godoshi). 
Early  T'ang  Dynasty  (8th  Century).  Tofukuji, 
Kyoto 140 

107.  Shaka,  of  the  Same  Set  as  Figures  106-108.    Tofukuji, 

Kyoto 140 

108.  Fugen,  of  the  Same  Set.    Tofukuji,  Kyoto    .      .      .      .140 

109.  Yuima.     Colours  on  Paper.     Probably  Sung  Dynasty 

(i2th  Century).     Tofukuji,  Kyoto 141 

no.     Daruma.     Ink    and    Wash     Colours     on     Paper.     By 

Mincho  (Cho  Densu),  1352-1431.    Tofukuji,  Kyoto  .   141 
x 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Tig.  Page 

in.    Rakan  (arhats).    Colours  on  Silk.    By  Mincho  (Cho 

Densu)),  1352-1431.    Tofukuji,  Kyoto 141 

112.  Kanzan.     Ink  and  Wash  Colours  on  Paper.     By  Min- 

cho (Cho  Densu),  1352-1431.    Tofukuji,  Kyoto     .      .   141 

113.  The   Abbot  Fo-chien.     By  an  Unknown    (Sung    (?)) 

painter.     Dated  1238.    Tofukuji,   Kyoto     .     .      .     .132 

114.  The     Abbot     Shoichi     Kokushi.     By     Mincho     (Cho 

Densu),  1352-1431.    Tofukuji,  Kyoto 144 

115.  Sketch  in   Sumi  on  Paper.     The  Abbot  Shoichi  Ko- 

kushi.    By  Mincho,   1352-1431.    Tofukuji,   Kyoto     .  144 

116.  Bishamon.    Wood,  painted.    Perhaps  Chinese  of  the 

T'ang    Dynasty.    Toji,    Kyoto.    Tajhna,    "Selected 
Relics" 144 

117.  Temple  Ornament.     Cowhide,  painted.    Probable  date 

1086.    Toji,  Kyoto.    Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"    .      .   145 

118.  The     Five     Bodhisattva     Kokuzo.    Wood.     Probably 

Chinese   of   about  the   Sui   Dynasty,   590-617   A.  D. 
Toji,  Kyoto ....   145 

119.  Fudo.    Wood,   painted.    Attributed    to    Kobo    Daishi 

between  the  years  807-816  A.  D.    Toji,  Kyoto     .      .   145 

120.  Portrait  of  Amoghavajra.     Colours  on  Silk.    By  the 

Chinese  (T'ang)  artist  Li  Chen.    Toji,  Kyoto     .      .   145 

121.  Idealistic  Portrait  of  Lung-men,  Founder  of  the  Ma- 

hayana  Doctrine  of  Buddhism   (3rd  Century).     By 
Kobo   Daishi,  821    A.  D.    Toji,   Kyoto 145 

122.  Detail  from  Six-Fold  Screen.    Middle  Fujiwara  Epoch, 

986-1072  or  Earlier.    Toji,  Kyoto 160 

123.  Trilokajit.     Colours    on     Silk.    Attributed    to     Kobo 

Daishi.    Perhaps  Chinese,  T'ang  Dynasty  (8th  Cen- 
tury).   Toji,  Kyoto 160 

124.  Yamadeva,     Colours     on     Silk.     Attributed    to     Yeri 

Sozu,  851-935.     Kwanchi-in,  Toji,  Kyoto    .     .      .     .160 

125.  Varuna.     Colours  on  Silk.    Possibly  a  Fujiwara  Copy 

of  Kobo  Daishi's  Copy  of  a  Chinese  (T'ang)  Paint- 
ing.   Toji,  Kyoto 160 

126.  Kwannon.    Colours  and  Gold  on  Silk.    Attributed  to 

Motomitsu  Kasuga  (nth  Century).    Toji,  Kyoto     .   161 

127.  Kwannon.     Colours  and  Gold  on  Silk.     Attributed  to 

Takayoshi  Kasuga  (nth  Century).    Toji,  Kyoto     .   161 

128.  Kwannon.    Colours    on    Silk.     Kasuga    School    (iith- 

i2th     Century).    Toji,     Kyoto.    Tajima,     "Selected 
Relics" 161 

129.  Mandara.     Colours  on   Silk.     Copy   (?)   of  a   Chinese 

(T'ang)  Original  after  Kobo  Daishi.     Attributed  to 
the  Eleventh-Twelfth  Centuries.    Toji,  Kyoto     .     .  161 
xi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

130.  Aizen    Myo-6.    Colours    on    Silk.    Attributed   to    the 

Priest  Hanshun,  1037-1112.    Toji,  Kyoto    ....   164 

131.  Chandra,    the    Moon    Goddess.     Detail    from    Screen. 

Attributed  to  Takuma  Shoga,  1191.     Toji,  Kyoto     .   164 

132.  Dragon  in   Tempest.     One   of  a   Pair   Six-Fold   Gold 

Screens.  By  Okyo  (1754).  Kwanchi-in,  Toji,  Ky- 
oto   165 

I33'    Pi&e  Tree.    Sumi  and  Wash  Colours  on  Paper.    By 

Okyo,  1733-1754.     Kwanchi-in,  Toji,  Kyoto    .      .      .   164 

134.  Pagoda.    Erected   951    A.  D.     Daigoji,    Kyoto.    "Nip- 

pon Seikwa" 164 

135.  Painting  on  Columns  Interior  of  Pagoda.     Attributed 

to  the  Year  951.     Daigoji,  Kyoto.    "Nippon  Seikwa"  165 

136.  Monju.    Colours    on    Silk.    Takuma    School    of    the 

Twelfth  Century.    Daigoji,  Kyoto 172 

137.  Painting  on  Gold  Screen.    By  Sekkei  Yamaguchi  (S6- 

settsu),  1611-1669.     Daigoji,  Kyoto 165 

138.  Painting    on    Gold    Screen.     Unknown    Kano    artist. 

Seventeenth  Century.     Daigoji,  Kyoto 165 

139.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Wash  Colours.    By  Motonobu, 

1476-1559.  Style  of  Hsia  Kuci  of  Southern  Sung 
(i2th  Century).  Myoshinji,  Kyoto 165 

140.  Painting  in  Sumi  and   Wash   Colours.     The   Chinese 

Musician  P6-ya.  By  Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in  Style 
of  Hsia  Kwei  of  the  Southern  Sung  (i2th  Century). 
Myoshinji,  Kyoto 172 

141.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    Moonlight  Snow  Scene. 

By  Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in  Style  of  Yueh-kan  of  the 
Southern  Sung  (i2th  Century).  Myoshinji,  Kyoto  .  172 

142.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Wash  Colours.    Wagtails  and 

Waterfall.  By  Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in  Style  of 
Muchi  of  the  Southern  Sung  (i2th  Century).  Myo- 
shinji, Kyoto 173 

143.  Painting   in    Sumi   on   Paper.    Mountains   and   Lake. 

By  Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in  Style  of  Ma  Yuan  of  the 
Southern  Sung  (i2th  Century).  Myoshinji,  Kyoto  .  172 

144.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.     Idealistic  Scene  in  the 

Hsiao  and  Hsiang  Valleys,  Honan,  China.  By  Mo- 
tonobu, 1476-1559,  in  Style  of  Southern  Sung  (i2th 
Century).  Tokaian,  Myoshinji,  Kyoto  .  .  .  .173 

145.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.     Idealistic  Scene  in  the 

Hsiao  and  Hsiang  Valleys,  Honan,  China.  By  Mo- 
tonobu, 1476-1559.  Myoshinji,  Kyoto 173 

146.  Monju.     Sumi  and  Slight  Colours  on  Silk.    By  Ma  Lin, 

son  of  Ma  Yuan,  circa  1250  A.  D.    Myoshinji,  Kyoto.  173 
xii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

147.  Tekkai.    By  the  Chinese  artist  Wu  Wei  in  Style  of  Wu 

Tao-tze  (Godoshi)  of  T'ang.  Ming  Dynasty,  circa 
1475.  Myoshinji,  Kyoto 176 

148.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Light  Colours  on  Silk.    The  Full 

Moon  Rising  over  Chih-pi.  Unknown  artist.  Ming 
Dynasty  (isth  Century)  or  Earlier.  Myoshinji, 
Kyoto 176 

149.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    By  Tohaku,  Toyotomi 

Period,  1572-1602.    Myoshinji,  Kyoto      ....       176 

150.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Light  Colours  on  Paper.    Priest 

Catching  a  Catfish  with  a  Gourd.  By  Josetsu, 
Founder  of  the  Higashiyama  School  (isth  Cen- 
tury). Myoshinji,  Kyoto 176 

151.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Six-Fold  Paper  Screen.    Idealistic 

Scene  in  Lake  Region  of  China.  By  No-a-mi  in 
Chinese  (Sung)  Style.  Early  Fifteenth  Century. 
Myoshinji,  Kyoto 177 

152.  Paper   Screen  Painted  in   Sumi.    Idealistic   Scene   in 

the  Lake  Region.  S6-ami  (isth  Century)  in  Style  of 
Sung.  Myoshinji  Kyoto 177 

153.  Fusuma    Painting    in    Colours    and    Gold.    Morning 

Glories,  Asters  and  Lilies.  By  Sanraku,  1558-1635. 
Myoshinji,  Kyoto 192 

154.  Screen  Painting  in  Colours  and  Gold.    Peonies.    By 

Yusho,  pupil  of  Eitoku,  1532-1615.  Myoshinji, 
Kyoto 177 

155.  Screen  Painting  in  Colours  and  Gold  After  the  Chi- 

nese. Four  Sages.  By  Yusho,  1532-1615.  Myo- 
shinji, Kyoto 177 

156.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Wash  Colours.    Shaka  During 

his  Penitential  Fast.  By  Soga  Jasoku  (d.  1483). 
Shin juan,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto 192 

157.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    Landscapes  on  Fusuma. 

By  Sogp  Jasoku  (d.  1483).  Formerly  Shinjuan, 
Daitokuji,  Kyoto 192 

158.  Reception  Room.    Shinjuan,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto.    "Nip- 

pon Seikwa" 192 

159.  Screen   Painting   in   Sumi  on  Paper.    By   Masanobu, 

1453-1490.  Daitokuji,  Kyoto.  "Imperial  Museum's 
Publications" 192 

1 60.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Silk  Landscape.    Probably  a  Sung 

Copy  of  a  T'ang  Painting.  Shinjuan,  Daitokuji, 
Kyoto.  "Imperial  Museum's  Publications'*  .  .  .  193 

161.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Silk.    Attributed  both  to  T'ang 

and  Sung  Artists  but  perhaps  by  Wu  Wei  of  Ming, 
circa  1475.    Shinjuan,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto      ....  193 
xiii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

162.  Fusuma  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    By  S6-ami  (isth 

Century).  Daisenin,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto.  Tajima 
"Selected  Relics" 193 

163.  Paintings  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    Idealistic  Chinese  River. 

Valley  Scenes.  By  S6-ami  (isth  Century),  in  Sung 
Style.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics" 193 

164.  Portrait  in   Colours  of  the  Emperor  G6-Daigo.    At- 

tributed to  Tosa  Yukimitsu  (i4th  Century).  Daito- 
kuji, Kyoto 209 

165-167.     The  Buddhist  Trinity  Shaka,  Monju  and  Fugen. 

By  Kano   Masanobu,   1453-1490.    Daitokuji,  Kyoto.  208 

168.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Six-Fold  Paper  Screen  (One  of  a 

Pair).  Eagles  and  Herons.  By  Soga  Ni-Chokuan 
(i7th  Century).  Daitokuji,  Kyoto 208 

169.  Second  Screen  of  Same.    By  Ni-Chokuan  (i7th  Cen- 

tury).   Daitokuji,  Kyoto 208 

170.  Kwannon.    Colours  on  Silk.    Style  of  Yen  Li  Pen,  but 

probably   Sung.     Daitokuji,   Kyoto 209 

171.  Painting    in    Sumi    on    Paper.    Autumn    Landscape. 

Style  of  Yen  Tzu  Ping  of  Southern  Sung  (i2th 
Century).  Daitokuji,  Kyoto 209 

172.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk.    A  Group  of  Arhats.    At- 

tributed to  Chou  Chang  of  Southern  Sung  (i2th  Cen- 
tury). Daitokuji,  Kyoto 209 

i73-I75.  Idealistic  Portraits  in  Sumi  and  Wash  Colours  of 
the  Buddhist  Saints  Rinzai,  Daruma  (centre),  and 
Tokushan.  By  Soga  Jasoku  (d.  1483).  "Kyoto  Im- 
perial Museum  Publications" 224 

176.  Tea    Room    Designed   by    Kobori    Enshu,    1577-1646. 

Kohoan,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto.    "Nippon  Seikwa"     .      .  224 

177.  Painting  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    Attributed  to  the  Chinese 

(Sung)  artist  Lo  Chuang  (i2th  Century).  Ryuko- 
in,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto 225 

178.  Paintings  in  Colours  and  Gold  on  Fusuma.    Tiger  in 

the  Bamboo  Grove.  By  Kano  Tannyu,  1602-1674. 
Nanzenji,  Kyoto.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  .  .225 

179.  Idealistic    Portrait   in    Sumi    of    Duruma,   the   Indian 

Patriarch.  By  Keishoki  (Late  isth  Century).  Nan- 
zenji, Kyoto.  "Imperial  Museum's  Publications"  .  225 

180.  Kwannon.     Sumi  Sketch  by  Gei-ami.     (isth  Century). 

Nanzenji,   Kyoto 225 

181.  Portrait   in   Colours   on   Silk   of   the   Abbot.    Taimin 

Kokushi  (Fumon).  Attributed  to  Takuma  Eiga 
(i4th  Century).  Nanzenji,  Kyoto.  "Tajima  Se- 
lected Relics" 228 

xiv 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Pig.  Page 

182.  Sumi  Sketch   of   Bamboos.    By  the   Chinese   (Sung) 

artist  Chao  Meng-chien  (Early  i3th  Century).  Nan- 
zenji,  Kyoto 228 

183.  The  Kinkakuji  or  "Golden-Terrace-Pavilion."    Erected 

in  1397  by  Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu.  Rokuonji,  Kyoto. 
Photo  by  the  Author 228 

184.  The  Kinkakuji  or  "Golden-Terrace-Pavilion."    Erected 

by  the  Ashikaga  Shogun  Yoshimitsu  in  1397.  Roku- 
onji, Kyoto.  Photo  by  the  Author 228 

185.  Landscape  in  Sumi  on  Paper.    Attributed  to  Shubun 

(i5th  Century).     Rokuonji,  Kyoto 229 

186.  Tea  House.    Erected  from  Design  by  Kanamori  Sowa 

(i7th  Century).     Rokuonji  (Kinkakuji)  Kyoto     .     .  229 

187.  The  Togudo  Hall  of  Jishoin  or  Ginkakuji  Retreat  of 

the  Ashikaga  Shogun  Yoshimasa  (isth  Century). 
"Nippon  Seikwa" 229 

188.  Memorial   Statuette   in    Painted   Wood   of   Ashikaga 

Yoshimasa  (isth  Century).  Jishoin  (Ginkakuji), 
Kyoto 229 

189.  Fudo.    Colours  on  Silk.    Attributed  to  Chisho  Daishi 

(gth  Century),  but  probably  Chinese.  Kongobuji, 
Koyasan 236 

190.  Portrait  in  Colours  on  Silk  of  the  Abbot  Gonso  (8th 

Century).  By  an  Unknown  Artist  of  the  Ninth  (?) 
Century.  Fumon-in,  Koyasan.  Tajima  "Selected 
Relics" 236 

191.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk.    Amida  and  Attendants 

Descend  Upon  the  Clouds  to  Welcome  the  Souls  of 
the  Blessed.  By  Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.  Hachi- 
manko,  Koyasan.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  .  .  236 

192.  Bishamon.    Colours  on  Silk.    Unknown  Artist  of  the 

early  Kose  School  Working  in  T'ang  Style.  Kodai- 
in,  Koyasan 236 

193.  Nagaraja   the    Serpent   King.    Colours   on   Silk.    At- 

tributed to  the  Priest  Jochi,  Late  Fujiwara  Epoch, 
1072-1155.  Kongobuji,  Koyasan 237 

194.  Yakushi  Trinity  and  Demigods.    Unknown  Artist,  but 

about  Late  Fujiwara  Epoch,  1072-1155.  Y6chi-in, 
Koyasan 237 

195.  Fudo.    Colours    on    Silk.    Attributed    to    the    Priest 

Gwangyo.  Kamakura  Period  (i3th  Century).  Ko- 
yasan. Tajima,  "Selected  Relics" 237 

196.  The    Shinto    Deity   Niwatsu-hime.    By   an   Unknown 

Artist  of  about  the  Thirteenth-Fourteenth  Centuries. 
Kongobuji,  Koyasan 237 

197.  The   Shinto   Deity   Kariba-Myojin.     By  an  Unknown 

Artist  of  about  the  Thirteenth-Fourteenth  Centuries. 

Kongobuji,  Koyasan 240 

xv 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Fig.  Page 

198.  Kobo  Daishi  After  his  Transformation  into  Buddha 

Mahavairocana.  Early  Kamakura  Period  (i2th-i3th 
Centuries).  Zenju-in,  Koyasan 240 

199.  Screen-Painting  in  Colours  and  Gold  on  Paper.    Cocks 

and  Hens.  By  Soga  Chokuan  (d.  1614).  Hdki-in, 
Koyasan 240 

200.  Screen-Painting  in  Sumi  and  Wash  Colours  on  Paper. 

By  Toyeki,  Sesshu  School  of  the  Seventeenth  Cen- 
tury. Saizen-in,  Koyasan 240 

201.  Pocket   Shrine.    Wood,   Carved.    Said  to  have  been 

brought  from  China  by  Kobo  Daishi  (806  A.  D.). 
Chinese,  T'ang  or  Earlier.  Kongobuji,  Koyasan  .  241 

202.  Pocket    Shrine.    Wood,    carved.    By    Jocho    or    his 

School  (i2th  Century).  Cenmyo-in,  Koyasan. 
"Nippon  Seikwa" 241 

203.  Statues  of  the  Godais  on  Wood,  painted.    Attributed 

to  Unkei.  Flourished  1180-1210.  Kongosammai-in 
Koyasan.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics" 241 

204.  Kinkara.      Wood,     painted.      Attributed     to     Unkei. 

Flourished  1180-1210.  Kongobuji,  Koyasan.  Ta- 
jima, "Selected  Relics" 241 

205.  Box.     Gold  and  Silver  Lacquer  Inlaid  with  Metal  and 

Mother-of -Pearl.  Late  Fujiwara  Epoch,  1072-1155. 
Kongobuji,  Koyasan.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  256 

206.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk.    Lotus  and  Herons.    At- 

tributed to  Hsu  Hsi  of  the  Northern  Sung  Dynasty 
(loth  Century) 256 

207.  Painting  in   Colours  on   Silk.    Lotus   Blown  by  the 

Wind.  Attributed  to  Hsu  Hsi  of  the  Sung  Dynasty 
(loth  Century).  Chion-in,  Kyoto 256 

208.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk.    Shi-tsung's  Villa-Garden 

called  Kinkuh.  By  the  Chinese  artist  Kiu-ying, 
Ming  Dynasty.  Chion-in,  Kyoto 256 

209.  Similar.    Villa  Garden  called  Tau-li 257 

210.  Painting  in  Gold  and  Colours  on  Silk.     Eshin's  Vision 

of  Amida.  Attributed  to  Eshin  Sozu  (d.  1017). 
Chion-in,  Kyoto 257 

211.  Detail  of  Picture-Roll  in  Colours  on  Paper.    Honen 

Shonin,  as  a  Child,  Bids  Farewell  to  his  Mother.  By 
Kunitaka  Tosa  (?).  Flourished  about  1299-1316. 
Chion-in,  Kyoto 257 

212.  Detail   from   Picture-Roll   in   Sumi   on   Paper.    Blind 

Men  Crossing  a  Bridge.  By  Gessen,  1720-1809. 
Chion-in,  Kyoto.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  .  .257 

213.  Karamon  or  Chinese  Gate.     From  Momoyama  Castle. 

Erected  1593.     Now  at  the  Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon  Seikwa" 272 

xvi 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing 
Pig.  Page 

214.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Gold  Fusuma.    Boar  and  Stag 

Hunt.  By  Kimura  Sanraku,  1558-1635.  Nishi-Hong- 
wanji,  Kyoto 272 

215.  The  Taimen-no-ma  which  contains  Superb  Wall  Paint- 

ings by  Kano  Eitoko,  1543-1590.  Nishi-Hongwanji, 
Kyoto.  "Nippon  Seikwa" 272 

216.  Painting  in  Sumi  and  Light  Colours  on  One  of  a  Pair 

of  Six-Fold  Screens.  Hawks  in  the  Pines.  By  Ki- 
mura Sanraku,  1558-1635.  Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto  272 

217.  Painting  in  Colours  on  a  Six-Fold  Screen  (One  of  a 

Pair).  Eagle,  Heron  and  Vulture.  By  Kimura 
Sanraku,  1558-1635.  Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto  .  .  273 

218.  Detail  from  the  Illustrations  to  the  Novel  "Sagoromo 

Monogatari."  Attributed  to  Tosa  Mitsuoki,  1617- 
1691.  Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto 273 

219.  Painting  in  Colours  on  Silk.    White  Herons  and  Wil- 

lows. By  Chang  Chung-mu  (i3th  Century).  Nishi- 
Hongwanji,  Kyoto.  Tajima,  "Selected  Relics"  .  .  273 

220.  Great    Avenue    of    Cryptomeric    Leading    to    Nikko. 

Planted  by  the  Daimyo  Matsudaira  in  1650.  Photo- 
graph by  the  Author 273 

221.  Picture-Roll    Illustrating    the    Life    of    the    Shogun 

lyeyasu  (d.  1616).  Detail  Showing  the  Original  Red 
Lacquer  Bridge.  By  Kano  Tannyu  in  the  year  1636. 
Toshogu  (lyeyasu's)  Shrines,  Nikko 288 

222.  Storehouse     with     the     Monkey     Panels.     Toshogu 

Shrines,  Nikko.     Photo  by  the  Author     ....  288 

223.  The  Cistern  Presented  by  the  Daimyo  of  Nabeshima  in 

1618.  Toshogu  Shrines,  Nikko.  Photograph  by  the 
Author 288 

224.  Between    the    First    and    Second    Courts.    Toshogu 

Shrines,  Nikko.    Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto     .  288 

225.  The  Yomei-mon.    Carved  and  Painted  Woods.    Seven- 

teenth Century.  Toshogu  Shrines,  Nikko.  Photo- 
graph by  the  Author 289 

226.  Looking  from  the  Karamon  Towards  the  Yomei-mon 

Toshogu  Shrines,  Nikko.  Photograph  Tamamura, 
Kyoto 289 

227.  Detail  near  Yomei-mon.    Painted   Openwork   Wood- 

carvings.  Early  Seventeenth  Century.  Toshogu 
Shrines,  Nikko.  Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto  .  289 

228.  The    Kara-mon.     Carved   and   Painted   Wood.     Early 

Seventeenth  Century.  Toshogu  Shrines.  Nikko. 
Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto 289 

229.  Detail  of  the  Kara-mon 296 

230.  Haiden  (interior).     Carved  and  Painted  Wood,  Gold 

Lacquer  and  Gilded  Metal  work  in  Profusion.     Early 
xvii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Pacing 

Fig.  Page 

Seventeenth    Century.     Toshogu    Shrines.     Nikko. 
Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto 296 

231.  Carved  Wood  Panel  from  a  Design  by  Kano  Tannyu 

(lyth    Century).    Antechamber    (left),   the   Haiden. 
Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto 296 

232.  The  Oishi-no-ma.    Carved  Wood  Richly  Painted  and 

Gold     Lacquers.     Seventeenth      Century.    Toshogu 
Shrines,  Nikko.     Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto  .     .  296 

233.  Tomb  of  lyeyasu  Tokugawa  (d.  1616).    Bronze  Stupa 

on    Masonry    Pedestal.     Bronze    Group    in    Front 
(iyth  Century).    Photograph  by  the  Author  .     .     .297 

234.  Fujin,  God  of  the  Winds,  Shrine  of  lemitsu,  Nikko. 

Seventeenth  Century.  Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto  297 

235.  Interior   Decoration   of    Gold   Lacquer   in   Chapel   of 

lyemitsu  Tokugawa's  Temple,  Nikko.     Seventeenth 
Century.    Photograph  Tamamura,  Kyoto  .      .      .      .297 

236.  Garden  and  Miniature  Lake  Designed  by  the  Artist  and 

Esthete    S6-ami     (isth    Century).     Awata    Palace 
Garden,  Kyoto.    Photograph  by  the  Author  .     .     .297 


xvm 


PREFACE 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  sketch  rapidly  and  briefly 
the  history  of  the  rise  of  art  in  Japan,  since  art  and  archi- 
tecture play  so  important  a  part  in  the  following  pages. 

The  savage  Ainu  were  perhaps  the  first  settlers  of  the 
Japanese  Islands.  They  entered  at  the  north  by  way  of 
the  Island  of  Yezo,  and  gradually  working  southward, 
subsequently  came  in  contact  with  another  alien  people, 
the  sino-Korean  and  Chinese  immigrants  from  south-west 
Korea  and  China.  These  latter  had  settled  in  and  about 
the  province  of  Idzumo. 

Finally  still  another  band  of  invaders  appeared  from 
the  south,  the  warlike  Kumaso  of  Kyushu.  The  Kumaso 
are  thought  to  have  pushed  quickly  northward ;  conquered 
or  amalgamated  with  the  people  of  Idzumo,  and  checked 
the  southern  advance  of  the  Ainu.  They  founded  a  semi- 
civilized  state  with  the  province  of  Yamato  as  its  center. 
History  records  that  Jimmu  Tenno,  Japan's  first  historic 
king  (660  B.  C.),  took  to  wife  a  daughter  of  the  Idzumo 
king,  and  from  the  son  born  to  them  sprang  the  long 
and  illustrious  line  of  Mikados. 

Down  to  the  seventh  century  A.  D.  the  influx  of  Ko- 
reans and  Chinese  into  Japan  was  steadily  pursued. 
Among  many  other  similar  notices  in  the  ancient  chroni- 
cles of  Japan  we  read  of  a  great  band  of  Han  immigrants, 
Koreans  of  Chinese  extraction  probably,  who  had  settled 
in  the  province  of  Yamato.  Another  large  colony  was 
that  of  the  Tsin,  who  had  brought  up  in  Kawachi  Prov- 


PREFACE 

ince.  Indeed,  Chinese  and  Korean  immigration  must 
have  played  no  inconsiderable  part  in  the  settlement  of 
the  country,  since  a  peerage  of  the  eighth  century  records 
that  of  some  1177  members  of  the  nobility,  381  were 
assigned  either  to  a  Korean  or  a  Chinese  origin. 

The  simple  relics  of  Japan  down  to  the  end  of  the  sixth 
century,  prove  the  rude  state  of  culture  which  obtained 
in  the  islands  prior  to  the  arrival  of  Buddhism  from  Korea 
(552  A.  D.).  The  iron  armor  of  the  early  Yamato  war- 
rior evinces  little  of  what  may  be  called  artistic  effort, 
and  the  same  is  true  of  the  horse-trappings,  of  the  crude 
mortuary  figurines  and  simple  communal  pottery  which 
have  been  unearthed  from  time  to  time  among  the  great 
dolmens  and  tumuli  of  Yamato  and  the  adjacent  prov- 
inces. And  of  the  various  other  objects  found  therein, 
much  of  the  pottery,  beads,  mirrors,  rings  and  pendants 
may  perhaps  have  come  from  Korea  and  southern  China. 
Stone  implements  and  coarse  pottery  are  the  sole  sur- 
vivals of  the  barbarous  Ainu. 

Again,  before  the  coming  of  Buddhism,  art  received 
little  inspiration  through  religion,  since  the  sole  spiritual 
expression  of  Old  Yamato  was  Shinto,  the  Way  of  the 
Gods.  And  Shinto  required  no  cu7tus-figure ;  its  build- 
ings were  of  the  simplest  construction  and  entirely  de- 
void of  ornament.  It  was  not  until  the  introduction  of 
the  splendor-loving  Indian  creed,  that  the  history  of 
art  in  Japan  commenced.  This  occurred,  as  we  have 
said,  in  the  year  552  A.  D. 

By  600  A.  D.,  the  Buddhist  doctrine  had  taken  such  a 
firm  hold  upon  the  mind  of  the  upper  classes  that  Shinto 
suffered  a  temporary  eclipse.  The  all-powerful  Soga 
family  now  openly  acclaimed  the  foreign  creed.  This 


PREFACE 

abandonment  of  the  primitive  cult  was  not  accomplished 
without  a  bitter  struggle  on  the  part  of  the  many  still 
loyal  to  it,  an  opposition  which  finally  resolved  itself  into 
a  stubbornly  contested  battle,  the  battle  of  Shigi-Sen, 
587  A.  D.  From  this  struggle  the  partisans  of  Buddhism 
emerged  triumphant. 

With  the  ascent  to  the  throne  of  the  Empress  Suiko  in 
the  year  593  A.  D.,  Buddhism  may  be  said  to  have  come 
fully  into  her  own,  at  least  among  the  upper  classes. 
Temples,  shrines  and  monasteries  rose  on  every  hand, 
and  for  these  Korea  (Kudara)  provided  priests,  archi- 
tects, wood-carvers  and  painters.  Now  Korea  was  at 
this  time  at  the  height  of  her  artistic  development,  hav- 
ing recently  brought  to  maturity  a  purely  native  art;  an 
art  founded  to  be  sure,  upon  that  of  her  great  neighbor, 
China,  but  upon  which  her  genius  had  succeeded  in 
setting  an  individual  stamp.  This  art  of  Korea  (and  sur- 
vivals are  with  few  exceptions  sculptural)  is  based  to  a 
great  extent  upon  that  elongated,  wasp-waisted  type  of 
figure  which  recent  discoveries  in  Bactria  (Afghanistan), 
Khotan  (Chinese  Turkestan),  and  other  Central  Asian 
territories  have  made  so  familiar. 

The  Korean  artists  were  again  acquainted  with  another 
Chinese  school  of  sculpture.  The  characteristics  of  this 
second  school  were  in  many  ways  the  very  antithesis  of 
that  of  the  Northern  School.  In  contradistinction  to  the 
elongation  of  body  seen  in  the  northern  type,  the  latter 
school  evinced  a  strong  tendency  to  squareness  and 
heaviness  of  form  and  coarseness  of  feature.  These  two 
schools  of  sculpture  were  both  known  to  Korea,  which,  by 
the  end  of  the  sixth  century  had  so  changed  and  molded 
them  that  she  may  well  be  said  to  have  evolved  a  sculp- 

3 


PREFACE 

tural  school  of  her  own.  And  it  was  this  perfected  sculp- 
tural art  that  she  now  passed  on  to  Japan. 

In  the  year  607  A.  D.  the  Japanese  Empress  Suiko 
and  the  then  Regent  Shotoku  Taishi  established  the  great 
Monastery  of  Horyuji,  Nara,  and  here  today  one  may  still 
see  representative  examples  of  ancient  bronze-founding 
and  wood-carving,  in  which  may  be  studied  the  sculptural 
styles  of  both  the  Northern  and  Southern  (Chinese) 
Schools. 

From  the  Suiko  Epoch  (593-628),  Buddhism  in  Japan 
entered  upon  that  marvelous  period  of  growth  and  pros- 
perity which  was  to  achieve  its  highest  development  dur- 
ing the  short  period  embraced  in  the  First  Nara  Epoch, 
— the  Wado,  Yoro  and  early  Tempyo  Eras  (708-749). 
The  Second  Nara  Epoch,  which  may  roughly  be  said  to 
extend  to  the  time  of  Kwammu's  transference  of  the  resi- 
dent capital  to  Heianjo  (Kyoto),  is  marked  by  a  gradual 
falling  off  in  taste  and  skill,  a  decadence  that  sets  in,  in- 
deed, toward  the  close  of  the  reign  of  the  great  Emperor 
Shomu,  724-748.  After  the  First  Nara  Epoch,  no  really 
great  artistic  movement  is  to  be  remarked  until  the  early 
ninth  century,  when  once  again  Chinese  ideals,  T'ang 
Dynasty  ideals,  begin  to  make  themselves  felt. 

A  new  impetus  in  things  artistic  now  sets  in ;  a  revival 
which  centers  about  the  Japanese  embassies  to  the  T'ang 
Court,  and  the  return  from  China  of  such  famous  Bud- 
dhist scholars  and  artists  as  Dengyo  Daishi,  Jikaku 
Daishi  and  Kobo  Daishi.  But  toward  the  close  of  the 
ninth  century,  China  being  then  in  the  throes  of  fierce  in- 
ternal warfare,  the  Japanese  Court  for  a  time  broke  off 
all  diplomatic  relations  with  her  mighty  neighbor. 

This  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  a  native  school 

4 


PREFACE 

of  sculpture  founded  upon  early  T'ang  canons,  and, 
more  important  still,  in  the  development  of  a  native 
school  of  painting,  the  Kose,  of  which  Kose  Kanaoka  is 
acclaimed  the  founder.  Little  of  the  art  of  this  early  Fuji- 
wara School  has  survived  to  us,  but  what  there  is  shows 
the  style  that  may  be  called  the  art  of  early  T'ang  japonic- 
ized.  It  found  its  fullest  expression  in  the  following  or 
Middle  Fujiwara  Epoch  (996-1072),  when  it  matured  that 
delicate  grace  and  elaboration,  which  became  from  that 
time,  to  early  Ashikaga  days,  so  characteristic  of  the  Ya- 
mato  or  native  style. 

To  this  later  epoch  too  (Middle  Fujiwara)  belongs  the 
purely  native  art  of  that  great  mystic,  Eshin  Sozu,  whose 
sublime  visions  of  the  luminous  Amida  and  his  Angel- 
Musicians  required  the  use  of  pure  gold-leaf  in  preference 
to  color.  In  this  he  may  be  said  to  have  anticipated  the 
art  of  the  early  Sienese. 

Another  great  painter  of  the  time  was  Tamenari,  of 
Uji  fame,  whose  school  —  the  Takuma  —  came  under  the 
sway  of  the  classic  art  of  China's  Sung  Dynasty  (960- 
1127).  This  school  was  to  reach  its  fullest  perfection 
under  the  Kamakura  Shoguns  of  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth centuries.  In  sculpture,  Jocho  endeavored  to  re- 
vive the  grand  art  of  early  Nara  days. 

With  the  Late  Fujiwara  Epoch  (1072-1155),  both  paint- 
ing and  sculpture  are  in  the  main  Buddhistic.  In  the 
realm  of  pictorial  art,  Tosa  Motomitsu  and  Takayoshi  es- 
tablished a  native  school,  which  sprang  from  Kanaoka's 
earlier  school,  the  Kose. 

Sculpture  in  the  style  of  Jocho,  an  attempt  to  combine 
that  of  ancient  Nara  and  later  T'ang,  brings  one  down  to 
the  great  men  of  the  Kamakura  Period  (1186-1333). 

5 


PREFACE 

This  may  be  summed  up  as  the  age  of  the  sculptor  Cn- 
kei;  the  age  of  portrait-painting  and  picture-rolls.  The 
introduction  of  monochrome  (ink  or,  more  correctly, 
sumi)  painting  toward  the  end  of  the  period  marks  yet  an- 
other innovation  of  the  time.  The  Chinese  paintings  of 
the  Sung- Yuan  Dynasties  account  for  the  marked  inter- 
est in  landscape  work,  as  evinced  by  Japanese  (Zenshu) 
artists  of  this  date.  The  weak  and  childlike  attempts 
of  the  native  Tosa  and  Kose  artists  are  here  quite 
eclipsed.  The  clumsy  picture-roll  gradually  disappears. 
Great  kakemono  of  hideous  and  emaciated  rakan  —  more 
especially  of  Shaka's  16  or  500  disciples  —  become  more 
and  more  popular.  In  the  queer  Buddhist  and  Taoist 
deities,  now  so  common,  we  may  see  a  reflection  of  the 
taste  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  artists  of  China  (i2th  and 
i3th  centuries).  Few  and  far  between  are  the  Amidas 
and  bodhisattva  in  Eshin's  glorious  genre.  Nature 
studies,  especially  paintings  of  flowers,  birds  and  land- 
scapes in  the  sober  Zen  style,  are  the  ruling  passion, 
alike  with  the  professional,  clerical  and  lay  (amateur) 
painter. 

As  this  Kamakura  Epoch  has  been  called  "  the  Age 
of  the  Picture-roll,"  so  the  following,  or  Ashikaga  Epoch 
(1334-1567),  may  well  be  designated  "the  Age  of  the 
Kakemono,'*  since  the  painting  of  this  brilliant  age, — 
other  than  that  for  fusuma  and  folding-screens  —  was 
nearly  always  done  for  the  "hanging-scroll." 

A  great  revival  of  interest  in  Chinese  pictorial  art 
marks  the  era  of  Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu  (isth  century). 
The  simple  monochrome  paintings  in  Chinese  style,  intro- 
duced by  the  Zenshu  and  favored  by  the  superrefined 
dilettante  of  the  capital,  temporarily  eclipsed  other 

6 


PREFACE 

schools.  This  taste  for  sumi-sketches  continued  through 
the  age  of  Yoshimasa,  grandson  of  the  above  Shogun,  and 
himself  a  famous  patron  of  the  arts. 

The  pictorial  art  of  this  epoch,  founded  upon  that  of 
the  great  Chinese  artists  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynas- 
ties, soared  to  a  high  level  of  technical  excellence,  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Mincho,  Sesshu,  No-ami,  Masanobu 
and  others.  The  Tosa  School,  though  still  under  Impe- 
rial patronage,  was  far  from  prosperous ;  while  Kose,  the 
first  native  school,  had  already  faded  into  comparative  in- 
significance. 

The  sculpture  of  the  Ashikaga  Epoch  continued  to 
model  itself  upon  that  of  tfnkei  and  his  followers  of 
the  early  Kamakura  Epoch.  But,  a  too  fine  attention  to 
detail  and  a  tendency  at  times  to  overelaboration,  weak- 
ened and  effeminized  it. 

The  sudden  effacement  of  the  old  native  schools  of 
painting  was  due,  no  doubt,  to  the  rise  of  a  new  school, 
the  Kano,  a  school  founded  upon  Chinese  Sung  models, 
but  thoroughly  japonicized.  This  famous  and  long-lived 
school  owed  its  inspiration  to  the  genius  of  Masanobu's 
son,  Kano  Motonobu  (1476-1559).  The  religious  mys- 
ticism which  had  played  so  important  a  part  in  the  land- 
scapes and  nature  studies  of  the  Zenshu  seems  now  to 
have  become  gradually  lost.  This  led,  no  doubt,  to  a 
certain  independence  of  conception  that  may  account  for 
the  rise  of  a  new  phase  of  Kano  art,  that  of  Kano  Eitoku 
(I543-I59o)«  Under  this  artist,  Kano  resolved  itself  into 
a  gloriously  decorative  type,  a  type  characterized  by 
boldness  of  design,  brilliancy  of  coloring  and  the  unspar- 
ing use  of  a  rich  background  of  powdered  or  full  gold- 
leaf.  To  such  a  supremely  rich  art  was  due  the  interi- 

7 


PREFACE 

ors  of  Hideyoshi's  Juraku  Palace,  6saka  Castle  and  the 
golden  Momoyama  Palace  at  Fushimi,  whose  gorgeous 
decorations  remain  today  a  byword,  though  the  buildings 
themselves  have  vanished  or  are  now  in  ruins. 

Pictorial  art  during  the  Tokugawa  Epoch  (1603-1867) 
shows  a  strong  leaning  toward  the  Chinese  styles  of  Sung 
and  Yuan.  It  produced  many  schools — offshoots  for  the 
most  part  of  those  established  by  Sesshu  and  Kano  M6- 
tonobu.  Thus,  the  Kano  broke  up  into  four  branches,  of 
which  one,  founded  by  Eitoku' s  son  Takanobu,  took  over 
the  Art  Bureau  of  the  Imperial  Court  from  the  failing 
Tosa.  Perhaps  the  most  famous  of  the  four  was  that 
established  by  Takanobu's  eldest  son,  Kano  Tannyu 
Morinobu  (1602-1674),  an  able  and  prolific  artist,  who 
has  been  well  named  "  the  Middle  Founder  of  the  Kano 
School." 

Sesshu's  School,  the  Unkoku,  was  carried  on  some- 
what slavishly  by  Togan,  and  tamely  by  Toyeki,  his  son. 
As  for  the  waning  Tosa,  it  flares  up  for  one  brief  moment 
in  the  person  of  Tosa  Mitsuoki  (1616-1691). 

A  strong  rival  to  Tannyu's  rejuvenated  Kano  arose  in 
the  Korin,  or,  more  properly  perhaps,  Koyettsu  School; 
a  school  derived,  through  the  latter  artist,  from  the  Kano 
of  Eitoku.  Here  the  sumptuous  designs,  broad  masses 
and  brilliant  coloring  of  Eitoku  Kano  are  perverted  to  a 
degree. 

It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  important  art 
objects  owned  by  the  various  temples  of  Japan  have  been 
listed  by  the  Government  and  constitute  what  is  now 
called  "  National  Treasure."  As  such,  they  are  fre- 
quently withdrawn  from  the  temples,  and  placed  on  tem- 

8 


PREFACE 

porary  loan  in  the  three  great  museums  of  the  country, 
those  of  Tokyo,  Kyoto  and  Nara. 

Illustrations  are  taken  from  the  splendid  art  publica- 
tions of  the  Shimbi  Shorn  Company,  Tokyo,  the 
"  Masterpieces  Selected  from  the  Fine  Arts  of  the  Far 
East,"  by  Prof.  Shiichi  Tajima;  and  the  "History  of 
Japanese  Pictorial  Art,"  by  Dr.  Seikai  Omura.  Other 
sources  are  the  "  Selected  Relics  of  Japanese  Art,"  by 
Prof.  Shiichi  Tajima,  published  by  Nippon  Shimbi  Kyo- 
kwai,  Kyoto;  Collotype  Prints  of  Various  Art  Objects, 
published  by  the  Imperial  museums  of  Nara  and  Kyoto ; 
the  "  Nippon  Seikwa  " ;  photographs  by  Tamamura,  Ky- 
oto, and  original  photographs  taken  by  the  author. 

Garrett  Chatfield  Pier. 

February,  1913 
Luxor,  Egypt. 


NARA 


HORYUJI 

ATT\HE  ancient  monastery  of  Horyuji  lies  some  seven 
A  and  a  half  miles  to  the  southwest  of  Nara.  It  is  ap- 
proached today  through  irregular  fields  of  barley,  beans 
and  rice,  which  extend  well  up  to  the  encircling  walls. 
Its  little  outpost  of  mud  huts  is  a  disappointment,  though 
this  impression  is  soon  dispelled  when  once  we  enter  the 
temple  court. 

The  main  temples  stand  in  a  sanded  enclosure  about 
which  runs  a  columned  portico,  roofed  with  gray  tiles  and 
painted  red.  The  regularity  of  its  line  is  broken  by  the 
great  red  Nio-mon  or  entrance-portal,  by  the  drum 
and  bell-towers  seen  at  each  side  of  the  square,  and  by 
the  long  sloping-roof  of  the  Daiko-do,  which  stands  far 
back  and  immediately  facing  the  entrance  portal.  To 
the  left  of  the  sanded  square  rises  Horyuji's  splendid  Pa- 
goda; to  the  right,  that  museum  of  oriental  art,  the 
Kondo. 

To  the  student  of  architecture  these  buildings  of 
Horyuji  offer  a  well-nigh  unique  experience,  since  today 
neither  in  China  nor  Korea  can  buildings  of  such  great 
antiquity  be  seen.  Indeed,  in  these  blackened,  wooden 
buildings  we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  a  style  of 
architecture,  which  had  its  inception  long  before  the  Sui 
Dynasty  of  China,  toward  the  close  of  which  Horyuji 
was  dedicated  (616  A.  D.). 

In  the  "  Chronicles  of  Japan  "  (Nihonji)  we  read  of  a 
great  conflagration,  which  almost  destroyed  the  temple  in 

13 


NARA 

the  year  680.  But  many  think  that  the  present  Pagoda 
and  Kondo  have  stood  well-nigh  untouched  from  the  day 
of  their  dedication  until  the  present  time.  The  Nio-mon, 
Figure  2,  guarded  by  its  Deva-Kings,  two  vociferating 
figures,  said  to  be  the  oldest  of  their  kind  in  Japan,  has 
but  recently  been  repaired  out  of  the  original  materials. 

The  Kondo,  Figure  3,  the  three-storied  building  to  the 
right,  presents  a  striking  example  of  early  Chinese  archi- 
tecture. Its  high  roof  slopes  somewhat  sharply,  and 
the  general  excellence  of  the  proportions  is  to  some 
extent  marred  by  the  later  additions  to  the  second 
story;  still,  much  technical  skill  is  shown  in  the  build- 
ing, which  expresses  a  certain  nobility  of  proportion  and 
beauty  of  line.  Within  this  dim  and  incense-stained 
Kondo  there  are  revealed  to  us  schools  of  metal-work 
comparable  to  those  of  Imperial  Rome;  of  sculpture  in 
wood,  clay  and  lacquer,  outrivaling  in  the  truth  and 
realism  of  its  portraiture  the  master-sculptors  of  Egypt's 
last  great  renaissance;  and  of  painting,  sculptural  still, 
yet  already  hinting  of  the  freedom  and  suavity  that  shall 
follow  later;  studies  in  line  rhythm  that  would  have 
charmed  a  Holbein  or  a  Diirer. 

High  up  against  its  blackened  rafters  hang  canopies  in 
carved  and  painted  wood,  richly  decorated  with  beaded 
fringes,  phoenix  birds,  and  musical  tennin  or  Buddhist- 
angels.  Of  these  unique  ornaments,  one  is  attributed  to 
the  Suiko  Period  (593-628),  the  other  being  a  replica  of 
the  Tempuku  Era  (1233-1234). 

Under  these  remarkable  canopies,  and  high  upon  the 
Kondo's  great  central  dais,  sits  Tori's  "  Shaka  Trin- 
ity" in  bronze.  This  famous  group  is  said  to  have 
been  cast  by  Kuratsukuri  Tori,  or  Tori  Busshi,  as  he  is 

14 


HORYtJJI 

more  popularly  named,  in  the  year  623  A.  D.  The  great 
bronze  Yakushi  near  by,  another  and  earlier  example 
of  this  little  known  artist,  was  produced  as  early  as 
the  year  607  A.  D. 

Tori,  third  of  the  name,  was  descended  from  a 
Chinese  sculptor  of  Wu  Province,1  who  emigrated  to 
Japan  about  500  A.  D.  A  work  of  art  attributed  to  his 
son  is  that  remarkable  gilt-bronze  statue  of  Kwannon, 
formerly  at  Horyuji,  and  now  in  the  collection  of  the 
Imperial  Household,  an  archaic  little  bronze,  illustrated 
under  Figure  4.  It  is  supposed  to  date  from  the  fourth 
year  of  Sujun  or  591  A.  D.  If  the  inscription  is  correctly 
understood,  it  is  the  oldest  bronze  statue  in  Japan. 

The  great  bronzes  of  the  Tori  family,  as  is  but  natural, 
evince  many  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Wu  School  of 
sculpture,  itself  a  branch  of  the  Southern  (Chinese) 
School.  The  peculiarities  of  this  branch  are  especially 
marked  in  the  bronzes  by  Tori  Busshi,  Figures  5-6, 
for  in  these  we  find  strongly  accentuated  the  square  fea- 
tures, negroid  lips  and  noses,  and  the  stiff  formality  of 
the  flaring  drapery  at  the  sides. 

As  Tori's  bronzes  provide  us  with  a  reflection  of  the 
Wu  (Chinese)  style  of  the  fifth-sixth  centuries,  so  the 
elongated  Kwannon,  Figure  7,  reproduces  the  Korean 
type  as  it  had  been  developed  toward  the  opening  of  the 
seventh  century.  This  superb  figure,  part  wood,  part  lac- 
quer, represents  one  of  the  noblest  expressions  of  Korean 
art,  as  evolved  from  the  Chinese  sculpture  of  the  North- 
ern School  at  that  early  date.  The  Yumedono  Kwatnnon, 
which  we  shall  presently  describe,  may  be  called  the  final 
expression  of  Korean  genius,  as  developed  from  this 

i  A  great  province  about  the  modern  Hangchow  and  Amoy. 

15 


NARA 

school,  softened,  and  beautified,  it  may  be,  by  a  hint  of  In- 
dian suavity.  Beyond  this  figure  stand  two  famous  treas- 
ures of  Horyuji's  Kondo,  the  Tamamushi  and  Tachibana 
portable  shrines  or  reliquaries.  The  first,  the  Tamamushi 
or  "  Beetle's-wing  Shrine,"  has  been  so  named  on  account 
of  the  unique  ornamentation  seen  beneath  the  openwork 
silver-gilt  sheets  covering  the  poles  and  beams,  which  con- 
sists of  inlays  or  appliques  of  the  wing-sheaths  of  beetles 
(tamamushi).  The  shrine,  Figure  9,  is  made  of  wood  in 
the  form  of  a  miniature  two-storied  temple.  Presented 
to  the  Empress  Suiko  about  590  A.  D.,  it  not  only  em- 
bodies the  style  of  the  temple  and  palace  architecture  of 
the  mainland  at  that  early  date,  but  its  walls,  and  the 
panels  of  the  two  little  doors  seen  in  its  upper  story, 
are  entirely  covered  with  faded  paintings,  the  earliest 
paintings  to  be  met  with  in  Japan.  Painted  in  medaso  or 
litharge,  a  combination  of  oxide  of  lead  and  oil,  the  fig- 
ures, notably  the  two  standing  bodhisattva,  and  the 
crouching  forms  seen  in  the  design  of  the  Taho  Pagoda, 
are  strikingly  reminiscent  of  the  art  of  the  Northern  Wei 
Dynasty  of  China. 

The  palette  of  this  early  artist  consisted  of  a  rich  ocher- 
ous  yellow,  white,  deep  blue,  black,  and  a  bright  coral- 
red.  Litharge  painting  was  probably  introduced  into 
China  from  India.  In  China  we  know  that  it  was  used  in 
the  inscriptions  upon  the  copper  pagoda  of  the  Emperor 
Ch'ien  Hung-shu.  It,  no  doubt,  reached  Japan  by  way 
of  the  Sankang.2  The  designs,  somewhat  hard  and 
statuesque,  are  laid  on  the  primed  black  panels  with  a 
half-dry  brush.  They  represent  the  following  Buddhistic 
subjects:  (i)  The  Bodhisattvas  with  Lotus  Flowers; 

2  The  three  ancient  divisions  of  Korea  —  Patche,  Koguryu  and  Sill*. 

16 


Fig.  2.  Niomon.  Wood,  painted. 
First  Nara  Epoch  (711  A.  D.).  Horyuji, 
Nara. 


Fig.   1.     Kala,      Goddess      of 
Art.    Dry  lacquer.    Tempyo  Era, 
728-749.      Repaired   during   the 
Kamakura     Epoch     (13th     Cen- 
tury).    Akishinodera,  Yamato. 


Fig.   3.     Kondo     or     Main     Hall.     First 
Nara  Epoch   (711  A.  D.).      Horyiiji,  Nara. 


Fig.   4.     Kwannon.       Copper, 

git.  Suiko  Period  (591  A.  D.). 
iperial  Household  Collection. 
Formerly  HSryuji,  Nara. 


Fig.   5.      Shaka      Trinity.        Bronze. 
Cast  by  Tori    (623   A.   D.). 

Kondo,   Horyuji. 


Fig.  8.  Kwannon.  Wood,  Kor- 
ean (?)  Suiko  Period,  593-628,  or 
Earlier.  Main  Deity  of  the  Yume- 
dono,  Horyuji. 


Fig.  7.  Kwannon.  Wood. 
Korean  (?)  Suiko  Period,  593- 
628,  or  Earlier.  Nara  Museum, 
Formerly  in  the  Kondo,  Hory- 
uji. 


Fig.    6.     Yakushi. 
Tori   (607  A.  D.). 


Bronze.       Cast    by 
Kondo,  Horyuji. 


(2)  The  Taho  Pagoda;  (3)  Disciples  Worshiping  a 
Relic  of  Prince  Mahasattva;  (4)  A  Vision  of  the  Holy 
Mount  Sumeru;  (5)  Mahasattva  Throwing  Himself  to  a 
Hungry  Lioness  and  its  Cubs ;  (6)  The  Buddha  Writing 
"  All  Things  Are  Ever  Changing  "  and  Throwing  Him- 
self to  the  Rakshasa.  The  other  reliquary  is  commonly 
referred  to  as  the  "  Tachibana  Shrine,"  as  it  served  to 
house  a  small  bronze  group  representing  Amida,  Seishi 
and  Kwannon,  to  which  Tachibana,  mother  of  the  Em- 
press Komyo,  is  said  to  have  addressed  her  prayers. 

The  Tachibana  Shrine,  like  the  Suiko  Shrine,  which  we 
have  already  described,  is  of  miniature  temple  form,  and 
similarly  painted  in  litharge  upon  primed  wood,  with  Bud- 
dhist designs  —  in  this  case  representing  Shaka,  Monju 
and  Fugen,  bodhisattvas,  etc.  At  the  present  day  these 
paintings  are  so  dimmed  by  age  as  to  be  well-nigh  in- 
visible, but  in  a  strong  light  one  can  still  distinguish 
strong  Indian  feeling  in  those  of  the  eight  panels  that  re- 
main. The  maker  of  the  reliquary  is  unknown,  but  cer- 
tain Japanese  experts  would  attribute  it  to  the  Asuka 
Period  (629-707).  From  the  open  doors  of  this  incense- 
stained  reliquary  three  small  white-bronze  figures  gaze 
down  upon  one  from  rounded  lotus  pedestals,  which  rise 
upon  twisted  stems  from  a  flat  bronze  lotus-covered  pool 
below,  Figure  12.  This  exquisite  little  group,  attributa- 
ble to  the  Tenchi-Temmei,  or  Transition  Period  of  the 
latter  half  of  the  seventh  century,  is  referred  to  by  Fenol- 
losa  as  "  the  unique  flower  of  the  early  East  Asian  stage 
of  Buddhist  art."  3  In  the  center  sits  Amida,  personifica- 
tion of  the  realm  of  boundless  light,  flanked  by  Kwannon 

s  Fenollosa,  Prof.  E.  F.  "  Epochs  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art."  Vol.  1, 
p.  72. 

17 


NARA 

and  Daiseishi,  his  attendants.  Amida's  head  is  large  and 
bent  slightly  forward ;  his  legs  are  crossed  in  the  hieratic 
position.  There  is  a  faint  smile  upon  his  rather  broad  and 
full  face.  A  tight-fitting  robe  falls  in  well-ordered,  if 
somewhat  formal  folds  about  his  plump  little  body.  His 
right  hand  is  raised;  the  left  rests,  palm  open,  upon  his 
knee.  Both,  indeed,  are  opened  in  a  comprehensive  ges- 
ture, indicative  of  the  tenderest  yearning  and  benignity. 
In  this  gracious  attitude  he  is  imitated  by  the  smiling 
bodhisattvas  who  stand  beside  him.  The  head  of  the 
main  deity  is  backed  by  a  charming  circular  rosette,  a 
halo  enriched  by  a  central  lotus  rosette  and  seed  pod,  re- 
lieved against  a  band  of  lace  like  crossed  curves  (them- 
selves in  the  form  of  lotus-petals),  and  a  broad,  flame- 
edge  outer  border  of  floral  arabesques  in  the  shape  of 
elongated  and  intertwining  "  honeysuckle  spirals "  that 
bespeaks  the  influence  of  Western  art.  Here  is  a  vast 
improvement  over  the  somewhat  similar  designs,  in  low 
relief,  made  use  of  by  Tori  in  his  central  group.  The 
chaste  finish  of  the  central  rosette  and  the  delicacy  of 
the  two  encircling  bands  defies  description.  Further,  and 
as  if  the  little  figures  were  not  perfection  in  themselves, 
the  unknown  designer  of  this  little  bronze  has  seen  fit  to 
affix  at  the  back  a  folding  screen  in  the  same  white- 
bronze,  a  second  halo,  as  it  were,  embellished  with  ex- 
quisite figure,  flower  and  cloud  designs  in  relief,  Figure  13. 
Sitting  in  the  dainty  cups  of  tiny  lotus  flowers  are  five 
round-faced  tennin  or  Buddhist  angels.  These  plump 
little  deities  are  dressed  alike  in  the  airiest  of  robes, 
flying  veils  and  banderoles.  Upon  their  heads,  arms  and 
ankles  are  diadems,  chains  and  bangles  after  the  Indian 
manner.  In  higher  relief  are  the  six  little  seated  Amidas ; 

18 


H6RYUJI 

equally  adorable  little  statuettes,  but  scarcely  to  be  seen 
on  account  of  the  openwork  metal  canopies  which  serve 
to  protect  them. 

Thrown  into  relief  against  such  a  lustrous  background, 
this  unique  group  recalls  at  once  visions  of  Tori's 
earlier  efforts  in  the  same  direction  and,  at  the  same  time, 
gives  full  promise  of  the  suave  and,  at  times,  voluptuous 
art  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749),  presently  to  be 
discussed. 

The  coldly  calm  Shi-Tenno  that  guard  the  four  corners 
of  the  platform  upon  which  the  various  figures  stand, 
are  the  oldest  examples  of  these  Buddhistic  guardians  of 
the  four  points  of  the  compass  that  have  been  preserved 
to  us.  Komoku,  guardian  of  the  West,  bears  the  names 
of  the  two  sculptors  who  carved  him,  Kimara  and  Ya- 
mayuchi  Oguchi.  Japanese  records  state  that  the  latter 
was  Chinese ;  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  Emperor  Liu  of 
the  Latter  Han  Dynasty,  and  that  about  the  year  650 
A.  D.,  he  carved  1000  images  of  the  Buddha. 

The  figures  in  question  are  remarkable  in  style.  The 
features  are  very  similar  to  those  of  Tori's  bronzes, 
though  the  oval  of  the  faces  is  more  elongated,  more  on 
the  order  of  the  Korean  "  Kwannon  with  the  Vase,"  to  be 
seen  opposite.4  The  calm  expression  shows  their  great 
age,  since  later  maharajahs  evince  the  most  violent  con- 
tortion, vociferation  and  frenzied  fury.  The  gilt-wood 
image  of  Chandra,  Figure  14,  is  undoubtedly  of  post- 
Suiko  date.  The  charming,  vivacious  face  of  the  little 
Moon-Goddess,  with  its  quaintly  pointed  chin,  has  lost  the 
lifeless  archaicism  of  expression  so  evident  in  the  Tori 
bronzes.  With  Surya,  the  Sun-Goddess,  Chandra  stands 

4  Figure  recently  removed  to  Main  Hall,  Nara  Museum. 

19 


NARA 

at  the  back  of  the  main  bronze  group,  a  smiling  divinity, 
radiating  a  mingled  expression  of  maidenly  sweetness  and 
seductive  charm.  Indeed,  in  their  loss  of  rigidity  and 
vacancy  of  expression  these  two  dully  gleaming  figures 
already  give  promise  of  the  art  of  the  Tenchi  Period  (668- 
671),  that  short  era  of  transition  in  which  the  arts  rose 
vaulting  toward  that  climax  of  artistic  development  seen 
in  the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749). 

The  wall  paintings  next  claim  our  attention.  Of 
these,  the  group  to  the  right  of  the  entrance,  Figure  15, 
is  in  many  respects  the  most  interesting,  as  it  is,  in- 
deed, the  best  preserved.  It  represents  the  Healing 
God,  Yakushi,  his  two  attendants,  and  ministrants,  with 
worshiping  priests  in  the  background,  a  design  so  often 
met  with  in  the  Gandhara  reliefs  of  the  Peshawar  Val- 
ley, India.  What  majesty  is  portrayed  in  this  ideal  figure 
of  the  beneficent  yet  compelling  Yakushi !  With  what  in- 
expressible dignity  he  raises  his  long,  slim  hand  in  the 
attitude  of  benediction!  The  superb  modeling  of  his 
well-draped  robes,  through  which  the  firmly  set  limbs  are 
well  defined,  is  most  startling  in  its  truth  and  Western- 
ism,  if  one  may  call  it  such,  since,  in  his  supremely  majes- 
tic pose,  Yakushi  recalls  the  Greco-Indian  statues  of  the 
Scythian  Emperors  of  Gandhara,  now  preserved  in  the 
Museum  of  Lahore.  Yet  a  softening  note  is  struck  by 
the  charming  smiles  and  gracious  poses  of  the  two  attend- 
ants. Here  is  the  tender  Indian  feeling.  The  drawing 
of  their  lovely  faces ;  the  tender  inclination  of  their  sinu- 
ous figures,  is  a  revelation.  Especially  fine  is  the  han- 
dling of  the  light  and  vaporous  draperies  that  float  in  soft 
swirls  and  airy  folds  about  them.  One  recalls  visions  of 
Botticelli's  nymphs!  Indeed,  Fra  Angelico  might  have 

20 


H6RYUJI 

created  such  spiritual  visions;  but  Botticelli  alone  could 
have  clothed  them  in  this  supremely  celestial  raiment. 
Here  is  nothing  archaic,  no  early  attempts  of  a  primitive 
master.  Horyuji's  three  hundred  feet  of  paintings  repre- 
sent the  work  of  a  master  of  an  established  school,  a 
school  whence  sprang  the  far  more  Sinicised  fres- 
coes of  Khotan,  a  school  that  may  have  had  its  original 
inspiration  in  and  about  Gandhara.5  But  Horyuji's 
Buddhas  and  Bodhisattva  are  not  frescoes  in  the 
true  sense;  since  their  brilliant  colors,  outlined  in  red, 
were  applied  to  the  dry  wall.  The  palette  of  the  un- 
known artist  reveals  the  glossiest  of  blacks,  blacks  that 
Sesshu  might  have  envied,  translucent  greens  and  tender 
blues,  that  might  have  inspired  Li  Lung-mien  himself, 
a  clear  white  and  a  deep  rose-pink  whose  secret  seems  in 
later  years  to  have  been  alone  revealed  to  Mincho. 

At  the  opposite  side  of  the  dais  stands  a  Kwannon  in 
painted  wood,  Figure  18,  a  graceful  statue,  which  ap- 
pears to  us  to  be  an  example  of  late  eighth  century  art; 
of  that  period  of  decadence  which,  coming  toward  the  end 
of  Tempyo  (740)  culminated  in  the  gradual  perversion  of 
taste,  which  the  arts  of  Ternpei  display.  So  well  pre- 
served is  this  ancient  figure  that  one  may  still  distinguish 
the  white  priming  and  the  black  floral  medallions  which 
decorate  its  clinging  white  draperies,  pale  green  veils, 
and  deep  red  banderoles.  The  extreme  dignity  of  its 
pose  is  enhanced  by  a  double  lotus  mandorla,  which  rises 
to  a  slightly  outward-curving  point,  like  the  petal  of  some 
gigantic  lotus  flower  in  fact,  immediately  above  the  fig- 
ure's head.  And  here  too  we  may  still  see  faint  traces 

5  Lo  Ping  Wan,  Chinese  Poet  of  the  seventh  century,  says  that  wall- 
paintings  were  first  introduced  into  China  during  the  Liang  Dynasty,  479-557. 

21 


NARA 

of  the  original  decoration,  which  consisted  of  broad  yel- 
low bands  and  black  and  white  floral  arabesques. 

The  great  Pagoda,  Figure  19,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
in  Japan,  is  considered  by  many  to  be  the  original  struc- 
ture consecrated  by  the  Empress  Suiko  and  Shotoku 
Taishi  in  the  year  616  A.  D.  It  stands  to  the  left  of  the 
sanded  square  which  encloses  Horyuji's  main  temple 
group.  Structurally  Korean  pagodas  such  as  this  mani- 
fest a  great  improvement  upon  the  small,  dome-shaped 
pagodas  of  the  early  Indian  type.  In  the  Korean  and 
Chinese  construction  the  dome  has  been  eliminated 
and  the  tiled  roof  that  covered  it  multiplied  and  extended, 
until  we  have  a  vaulting  structure  generally  of  from  three 
to  nine  stories  or  roofs  that  rises  light  and  aspiring  high 
into  the  air,  with  somewhat  the  spirited  elevation  of  our 
own  soaring  Gothic. 

The  lower  story  contains  a  reproduction  of  Mount 
Sumeru  or  Shumisen,  the  fabulous  mountain  of  Buddhism 
and  home  of  the  gods;  in  fine,  a  Buddhist  Olympus. 
Here  are  four  figure  groups  set  with  a  quaint  landscape 
background,  depicting  four  scenes  of  Buddhist  myth- 
ology: (i)  Yuima  and  Monju,  with  other  Deities;  (2) 
Amida  and  his  Attendants,  Surrounded  by  Kings,  Saints 
and  Priests;  (3)  an  Entombment  of  Buddha;  and  (4)  a 
Representation  of  Buddha's  Entrance  into  Nirvana;  the 
latter  especially  naive  in  conception,  yet  not  without  a 
tender  charm. 

The  scenic  accessories  of  these  miniature  exhibits  con- 
sist of  stone  and  clay  hills  and  caverns,  designs  quite  in 
the  style  of  the  early  T'ang  of  China.  The  chief  ac- 
tors are  polychrome  clay  figures,  Figure  20,  but  a  few 
inches  in  height.  These  little  figures  remind  one  of  the 

22 


H6RYOJI 

"  Chinese  Tanagras  "  so  called ;  of  somewhat  similar  fig- 
ures from  Turkestan,  India  (Gandhara),  Bactria,  Nineveh 
and,  more  than  all  perhaps,  of  the  charming  little  painted 
clay  ushabtiu  of  Egypt's  eighteenth  dynasty. 

But  the  Japanese  figures  differ  from  the  above  in  this 
respect,  that  they  are  composed  of  unbaked  clay  (white) 
mixed  with  paper  fiber,  a  self-hardening  material  which 
successfully  resists  the  eroding  action  due  to  atmospheric 
changes.  Each  panel  is  approximately  thirteen  feet  by 
nine  and  a  half,  and  may  be  dated,  perhaps,  to  the  period 
of  the  rebuilding  of  the  fire-swept  temples  early  in  the 
eighth  century.  According  to  the  historical  records  of  the 
temple,  compiled  about  the  middle  of  the  eighth  century, 
the  Shumisen  was  first  installed  during  the  third  year  of 
Wado  (711).  A  priest  of  Horyuji  writing  in  the  thir- 
teenth century  states  the  number  of  figures  existent  in  his 
day,  but  the  numbers  do  not  correspond  with  those  that 
have  survived  to  us  today.  The  figures  have  been  re- 
paired or  even  renewed,  but  certain  of  them  evince  a  great 
antiquity,  notably  the  calm  and  sadly  despairing  priest, 
who  stands  beside  the  reclining  Buddha;  a  Chandra  (2) 
seen  to  the  right ;  a  priest  who  throws  himself  over  back- 
ward in  frenzied  grief,  and  a  queer  spindling-armed 
Kumbhandas  at  the  back  of  the  fourth  group.  No  doubt 
various  artists  have  repaired  these  realistic  little  figures 
and  there  is  something  reminiscent  of  one  little  known 
artist  in  the  last-mentioned  figure.  The  similarity  be- 
tween this  small  Kumbhandas,  with  its  rounded  features, 
elongated  body  and  queer  spider-like  arms,  to  the  equally 
rounded,  attenuated  and  Indian-like  Kumbhandas  of 
Montoshi's  larger  figures  at  Kofukuji,  is  strikingly  appar- 
ent. Montoshi,  an  itinerant  artist-priest,  is  said  to  have 

23 


NARA 

flourished  toward  the  end  of  the  eighth  century. 
Whether  we  may,  indeed,  attribute  one,  at  least,  of  these 
little  figures  to  him  is  uncertain,  a  guess  at  best.  And  as 
we  cannot  decide  the  vexed  question  of  their  authorship, 
let  us  be  content  to  admire  them  as  they  are,  survivals  of 
an  art  period  characterized  in  this  direction  by  the  great- 
est plastic  freedom,  delicacy  of  modeling  and  truth  to 
nature.  Nothing  better  can  be  imagined  than  the  various 
facial  expressions,  now  of  quiet  dignity  and  calm  resigna- 
tion, now  of  triumph,  sorrow  and  despair,  and  the  atti- 
tude and  gestures  all  are  ever  in  keeping.  Hard,  indeed, 
is  it  to  realize  that  these  astonishingly  realistic  little  fig- 
ures were  modeled  some  three  hundred  years  prior  to  the 
Norman  Conquest. 

The  Daikodo  stands  in  the  center  of  that  section  of  the 
portico  furthest  removed  from  the  Azeku-no-mon,  the 
great  entrance  portal,  which  it  immediately  faces. 

The  present  building  was  brought  here  from  a  distant 
site,  some  nine  hundred  years  ago,  to  replace  the  earlier 
structure  (of  8th  century  date)  which  had  been  destroyed 
by  a  typhoon. 

It  consists  of  a  long,  red  and  white  building,  roofed 
with  gray  tiles,  and  supported  on  bulging  wooden  col- 
umns, which  rest  on  huge,  flat,  undressed  stones,  and  are 
half-hidden  in  the  plastered  walls. 

On  a  high  dais  within,  sits  a  blackened  gilt-lacquer 
Yakushi  trinity.  These  three,  effeminately  soft  and 
rounded  figures,  with  their  heavy-lidded  eyes,  voluptu- 
ously cut  lips,  dimpled  chins  and  full,  ringed  throats,  pre- 
sent much  of  what  we  are  accustomed  to  consider  pure 
Greco-Buddhist  art  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749). 
Behind  them  rise  magnificent  gilt-lacquer  mandorlas, 

24 


graceful  aureoles,  richly  embellished  with  intricate  loti- 
form  designs  in  openwork,  and  tapering  to  an  outward 
curving  point  above,  as  though  the  artist  had  intended  to 
indicate  the  gently  curving  petals  of  the  sacred  lotus. 

If  we  study  these  buildings  carefully,  we  may  remark 
three  notable  constructional  features.  First,  that  the 
roofs  are  less  stunted  than  is  usually  the  case,  and  that 
the  eaves  spring  further  out  than  in  buildings  of  a  subse- 
quent date.  Second,  and  as  in  the  thirteen-storied 
pagoda  of  Tonomine,  where  it  is  most  pronounced,  the 
five  stories  of  the  pagoda  of  Horyuji  are  placed  very  near 
together.  The  idea  seems  to  have  been  that  buildings  so 
arranged  were  better  able  to  withstand  the  shocks  of  seis- 
mic disturbance  or  tempests.  The  third  constructional 
feature  centers  in  the  shafts  of  the  columns,  few  of  which 
are  of  the  same  size  throughout.  In  fact,  they  appear 
to  bulge  at  the  center,  and  to  taper  off  as  they  reach  the 
springing  crossbeams,  which  support  the  heavy  roof. 

To  a  later,  but  equally  marked  period,  belong  their 
watchful  guardians,  the  Shi-Tenno  or  Four  Heavenly 
Kings,  who,  with  drawn  swords  and  forbidding  mien, 
stand  at  the  corners  of  the  altar.  The  four  are  strongly 
suggestive  of  the  sculptor  tfnkei;  and,  indeed,  tradition 
would  assign  them  to  the  Buwa  Period  (i4th  century), 
a  period  but  a  few  years  after  the  close  of  the  Kama- 
kura  Epoch,  at  the  commencement  of  which  ftnkei  flour- 
ished. 

Beyond  the  portico  which  encloses  the  main  group  of 
temple  buildings  and  somewhat  to  the  right  stands  the 
Hozo  or  Treasure-house. 

This  ancient  structure  rests  upon  wooden  piles,  a  sur- 
vival, it  may  be,  of  the  Japanese  storehouse  of  prehistoric 

25 


NARA 

days.  The  creaking  doors  swing  open,  slowly  revealing 
the  smiling  face  of  a  richly  gilt-lacquer  Miroku  or  Ex- 
pected Buddha,  and  stepping  inside  we  find  ourselves  sur- 
rounded by  a  bewildering  maze  of  age-dimmed  paint- 
ings, velvety  bronzes,  gleaming  lacquers,  and  venerable 
wooden  images. 

To  the  left  of  Miroku  stands  a  wooden  memorial  statue 
of  Shotoku,  as  a  child.  Temple  tradition  would  attrib- 
ute the  rich  painting  of  this  realistic  little  statue  to 
Hoda  Munesada,  a  professional  artist  of  the  Late  Fuji- 
wara  Period  (1072-1155).  It  may  well  be  a  work  of  one 
of  the  great  sculptors  of  the  Unkei  School,  working  from 
a  painting  (?)  by  Munesada.  At  any  rate,  in  its  dignity 
of  pose  and  nobility  of  expression,  it  may  certainly  be 
attributed  to  one  of  the  Kamakura  men,  and  not  improb- 
ably to  Tankei,  who  carved  the  same  famous  man  as  an 
infant,  a  statue  soon  to  be  mentioned  in  our  discussion  of 
the  near-by  Chujuji  Nunnery. 

Beside  it  rests  a  charming  example  of  early  eighth  cen- 
tury art,  the  nimbus  of  a  dry-lacquer  image  of  Maitreya. 
This  age-stained  circular  halo,  dating  early  in  the  reign 
of  the  Emperor  Shomu  (724-749),  is  embellished  with  the 
design  of  a  phoenix  bird  resting  upon  lotus  pods  and  sur- 
rounded by  clouds  or  Chinese  fungus  patterns.  Near  it, 
and  immediately  behind  four  votive  pagodas  presented  by 
the  Emperor  Koken  (749),  stand  two  bronze  statuettes 
of  Kwannon,  Goddess  of  Mercy,  plump-cheeked  little  fig- 
ures, that  may  perhaps  be  attributed  to  the  post-Suiko 
Period  of  the  seventh  century ;  a  short  epoch  which  may 
be  said  to  have  existed  from  Suiko  to  Tenchi  (628-668). 
In  these  we  may  note  the  shortened  proportions  charac- 
teristic of  a  branch  of  the  Southern  School  of  sculp- 

26 


HORYUJI 

ture,  and  the  tight  folds  of  drapery  which  cross  the 
slightly  prominent  abdomens.  But  the  faces  are 
rounded ;  the  noses  more  aquiline ;  an  early  Greco-Indian 
influence  it  may  be!  Early  eighth  century  examples  of 
dry-lacquer  work  are  the  four  statuettes  of  Nikko,  Gwak- 
ko,  Monju  and  Fugen,  which  rest  upon  high  lotus  ped- 
estals near  by.  A  small  bronze  group,  of  which  the 
figures  of  Shaka  and  Monju  alone  remain,  was  cast  in  628, 
if  we  may  trust  the  inscription  upon  the  back  of  Shaka's 
nimbus. 

The  missing  statue,  that  of  Fugen,  is  said  to  have  van- 
ished during  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Horikawa  (nth 
century) . 

The  central  case  of  the  room  beyond  contains  a  rare 
series  of  bronze  vases  and  kettles,  pieces  representative 
of  the  art  of  an  early  metal-worker  of  the  Kamakura  Pe- 
riod, dating  as  they  do  from  the  first  half  of  the  four- 
teenth century. 

Here  too  are  silver  and  silver-gilt  bowls,  one  of  which 
is  attributed  to  the  Suiko  Era,  though  evidently  of  later 
date. 

To  the  post-Suiko  period,  and  with  far  more  reason, 
is  attributed  a  little  bronze  Kwannon,  which  exhibits 
that  broadening  and  rounding  of  the  facial  contour 
which  appears  at  a  period  but  slightly  removed  from 
the  Suiko  Era.  The  figure  is  quite  in  the  style  of 
that  unique  series  of  bronze  statuettes  (some  48  in 
all)  which  now  form  part  of  the  collection  of  oriental 
art  objects  belonging  to  the  Imperial  Household,  and 
which  are  exhibited  in  the  Kyoto  Museum  from  time 
to  time.  Near  the  ancient  red  garment,  covered  with  bells, 
seen  in  a  case  beyond,  stands  a  splendid  "banner,"  an 

27 


NARA 

article  of  western  provenience,  and  traditionally  assigned 
to  the  early  seventh  century.  It  consists  of  a  thin  piece 
of  silk,  decorated  in  blue,  green  and  dark  brown,  with 
a  Persian  or  more  correctly,  Sassanian  design,  represent- 
ing King  Chosroes  II  (?)  hunting  lions.  The  attribution 
of  a  Suiko  date  to  this  interesting  object,  is,  in  this  case 
at  least,  founded  somewhat  upon  fact,  for  the  reign  of 
this  Sassanian  Nimrod  (590-628)  coincides  with  that  of 
the  Empress  Suiko  (593-628).  Again,  it  is  worthy  of  re- 
mark in  this  connection  that  the  circular  medallion  plays 
an  important  part  in  Coptic  textiles  and  Chosroes  con- 
quered Egypt  and  held  it  until  618.  To  the  seventh 
century,  but  of  native  provenience,  are  the  embroidery 
designs  of  musical  tennin  or  Buddhist  angels  seen  be- 
low, designs  worked  in  the  same  coarse  stitch  as  the 
famous  mandara  of  the  near  by  nunnery  of  Chujuji, 
soon  to  be  discussed.  These  are  said  to  have  been 
worked  by  the  Empress  Hashihito.  The  design  is  quite 
in  keeping  with  that  of  the  gilt-bronze  temple-hanging 
formerly  at  Horyuji,  but  now  exhibited  in  the  Tokyo 
Museum.  According  to  a  tradition  of  Horyuji  this  ban- 
ner was  displayed  when  Shotoku  delivered  a  lecture  upon 
the  Buddhist  doctrine  in  Horyuji.  It  is  about  15  feet 
long  by  i  foot  wide,  and  bears  the  name  of  "  Great  Ban- 
ner of  Anointment." 

Of  sculptural  works  of  art,  though  generally  on  a  small 
scale  the  Hozo  possesses  numerous  examples.  Notable 
among  these  is  a  painted  wood  memorial  statuette  of  the 
Regent  Shotoku  Taishi,  in  which  the  prince  is  depicted 
as  a  lad  of  about  thirteen  years.  The  statue  no  doubt  is 
intended  to  memorialize  the  courageous  exploit  of  the 
boy-prince  during  the  battle  of  Shigi-Sen  (587),  when, 

28 


with  the  chief  of  the  Soga  Clan,  he  helped  to  defeat  and 
slay  M6nonobe-n6-Moriya,  chief  partisan  of  the  Shinto 
faction.  This  charming  little  figure,  in  the  style  of  a 
Tankei  at  his  best,  if  not,  indeed,  by  him,  is  certainly  to 
be  attributed  to  one  of  the  master-sculptors  of  the  Kama- 
kura  Period  (1185-1333).  We  shall  later  have  occasion 
to  refer  to  many  portrait-studies  of  the  Regent,  both  as 
here  represented,  and,  even  more  commonly,  as  a  half- 
clad  infant  of  about  three  years  of  age.  Again,  a  small 
but  exquisitely  delicate  carved  wood  Nyorin  Kwannon, 
contained  within  a  lacquer  shrine  (left,  main  case)  is 
traditionally  attributed  to  the  Nara  Period.  But  it  is  far 
more  likely  a  work  of  the  late  Kamakura  or  early  Ashi- 
kaga  school  of  sculpture.  Beyond  it  rests  an  especially 
beautiful  example  of  lacquer  work,  a  priest's  sutra-box 
in  honey-colored  lacquer.  This  is  decorated  with  chry- 
santhemum flowers  in  silver  and  gold,  relieved  against 
broad  splashes  of  brilliant  gold  nashiji. 

The  Taishido,  a  low  wooden  building  connected  with 
the  Hozo  by  a  covered  gallery,  is  dedicated  to  the  memory 
of  the  Imperial  Prince  and  Regent  Shotoku  Taishi  (d. 
622).  The  interior  of  this  building  is  said  to  have  been 
modeled  on  that  of  a  palace  of  Tempyo  days  (8th  cen- 
tury). 

As  we  might  expect,  the  chief  object  of  interest  in  the 
Taishido  is  the  memorial  statue  of  that  genius  of  Hory- 
uji,  the  Prince-Regent  Shotoku  Taishi.  We  have  already 
seen  him  represented  as  a  child,  and  as  a  youth  of  about 
sixteen  years  of  age.  The  present  statue,  however,  shows 
us  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life.  Clad  in  richly  embroidered 
robes,  a  jeweled  headdress,  firmly  set  upon  his  rather 
large  head,  Shotoku  gazes  down  upon  us  from  the  depths 

29 


KARA 

of  a  lacquered  shrine.  Upon  his  face  the  artist  has 
stamped  at  once  keen  executive  ability  and  haughty  im- 
periousness.  There  is  very  little  sign  of  the  softening  in- 
fluences of  religion.  No  doubt  the  artist  revered  the 
prince  far  more  for  his  "  laws  "  than  for  his  fanatical  in- 
terest in  the  advancement  of  Buddhism.  Though  but  an 
idealistic  portrait  at  best,  the  figure  is  well  worth  seeing, 
as  it  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  best  of  the  many  late 
Ashikaga  and  early  Tokugawa  memorial  statues  that 
have  survived  to  us  from  the  sixteenth-seventeenth  cen- 
turies. 

The  Mine-no-Yakushi  or,  more  commonly,  Yakushido, 
is  a  circular  red  and  white  building  dedicated  to  the 
Great  Healer,  Yakushi.  Innumerable  votive  offerings, 
that  cover  every  available  spot  upon  its  walls,  testify  to 
the  efficacy  of  prayers  addressed  to  this  beneficent  god. 
Not  a  few  of  these  offerings  date  as  far  back  as  the  period 
of  the  end  of  the  Kamakura  Shogunate  (i4th  century). 
The  colossal  statue  of  the  main  deity,  Figure  22,  sits 
cross-legged,  high  upon  a  huge  wooden  stand.  His  right 
hand  is  raised  in  an  attitude  expressive  of  a  somewhat  in- 
dolently abstracted  solicitude.  Behind  his  thick  shoul- 
ders and  stolid  face  rises  a  tall  mandorla  ornamented  in 
relief  with  designs  representing  the  "  Ten  Thousand  Bud- 
dhas."  A  short  drapery  festoon  falls  over  the  edge  of 
the  stand,  yet  not  low  enough  to  conceal  the  eight  carved 
legs,  which  with  the  great  globe  at  center,  serve  to  up- 
hold the  flattened  lotus  flower  upon  which  great  Yakushi 
is  seated.  The  figure,  mandorla  and  stand  are  carved  in 
wood,  covered  with  brownish-black  lacquer  and  richly 
gilt.  Various  dates  have  been  assigned  to  the  figure,  the 
most  popular  being  that  of  Tempyo.  It  is  even  claimed 

30 


HORYtfjI 

that  its  maker  was  that  famous  Korean  priest  of  Shomu's 
day,  Gyoji  Bosatsu  (d.  749).  But  there  is  little  Tempyo 
charm  in  this  ponderous  figure.  Rather  does  it  suggest 
the  style  of  the  eleventh-twelfth  century  sculptors.  In- 
deed, its  striking  resemblance  to  the  huge  Amida  (of 
Joruruji)  by  Jocho,  inclines  us  to  attribute  it  to  that  mas- 
ter of  the  Nara  School  of  the  eleventh  century.  Encir- 
cling Yakushi's  stand  are  painted  wooden  figures  of  the 
Juniten,  somewhat  weak  examples  of  the  same  (  ?)  epoch. 
A  tender  little  bit  of  carving  is  to  be  seen  near  the  door, 
revealed  in  a  small  figure  of  Jizo,  which  is  commonly 
hidden  away  within  a  brocade-screened  shrine.  The 
painstaking  minuteness  of  detail,  delicacy  of  workman- 
ship, and  rare  benignity  of  feature,  indicate  an  artist  of 
the  Ashikaga,  sixteenth  century. 

The  near-by  Kaminodo  was  built  during  the  Keicho 
Era  (1596-1615),  the  earlier  building  which  occupied  this 
site  having  succumbed  to  one  of  the  disastrous  typhoons, 
which  so  often  hurl  themselves  upon  the  Island  Empire. 
As  a  result,  one  might  expect  to  find  one  of  the  terrifying 
storm-gods  of  Crnkei  or  Kwaikei  installed  as  the  protect- 
ing deity  of  the  place.  On  the  contrary,  gentle  Shaka, 
Monju  and  Fugen  reign  supreme  amid  its  damp  and 
murky  shadows.  The  figures  are  modeled  in  dry-lac- 
quer, covered  with  gold-leaf.  In  their  effeminate  grace  of 
form,  and  soft  voluptuousness  of  feature,  they  need  only 
suitable  lighting  and  less  barn-like  surroundings  to  reveal 
beauties  that  may  now  be  scarcely  imagined.  Would 
that  their  softly  rounded,  if  somewhat  voluptuous,  type 
had  survived  to  Kamakura  days;  that  figures  such  as 
these  might  have  graced  the  pearl-inlaid  lacquer  altars  of 
Chusonji  (Rikichu)  or  Byodoin 

31 


KARA 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  this  spot  stands  the 
octagonal  Yumedono  or  *'  Hall  of  Dreams,"  an  eighth 
century  building  sometimes  referred  to  as  the  Jokwoin, 
Figure  23.  Its  chief  deity,  a  Kwannon  in  wood,  for- 
merly gilt,  originally  stood  upon  the  great  dais  of 
Horyuji's  Kondo.  When  it  was  removed  here  is  not 
known. 

The  statue,  Figure  8,  is  somewhat  larger  than  life.  At 
present  it  is  enclosed  in  a  huge  shrine  which  stands  upon 
a  high  dais  immediately  in  the  center  of  the  room.  The 
figure  is  slim  and  flattened,  except  for  the  abdomen, 
which  slightly  protrudes,  giving  it  somewhat  the  appear- 
ance of  a  Gothic  Madonna.  Its  well-shaped  hands  are 
crossed  in  front,  and  in  one  it  holds  a  pinda  which  rests 
upon  a  lotus  flower.  Behind  its  head  rises  a  nimbus  in 
the  form  of  the  wishing-gem  or  flame- jewel,  a  graceful 
halo,  like  the  statue  itself,  originally  richly  gilded.  The 
pierced-bronze  headdress  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  ex- 
amples of  oriental  metal-work  that  has  survived  to  us. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  much-discussed  statue 
represents  the  noblest  expression  of  Korean  sculpture  as 
it  had  been  evolved  through  an  apparent  merger  of  the 
Southern  and  Northern  (Chinese)  Schools  of  sculpture, 
toward  the  end  of  the  sixth  century  of  our  era.  Kwannon 
of  the  Vase,  Figure  7,  may  perhaps  represent  the  middle 
phase  of  this  art. 

Indian  influence  is  strongly  marked  in  the  smaller 
aloes-wood  image  of  the  nine-faced  Kwannon  near 
by,  Figure  24,  a  plump  little  figure  hung  about 
with  ponderous  chains  and  necklaces.  The  statue  has 
been  assigned  to  various  early  periods,  but  it  may  repre- 
sent, perhaps,  a  copy  of  a  Chinese  bronze  of  about  the 

32 


Fig.  9.  Portable  Shrine  called  Tamamu 
shi  or  "Beetle's  Wing"  Shrine.  Wood 
painted.  Suiko  Period,  593-628  A.  D. 

Kondo,  Horyuji. 


Fig.  10.  Kwannon.  Wood. 
Attributed  to  Shotoku  Taishi, 
Suiko  Period,  593-628.  Main 
Deity  of  the  Nunnery  of  Chu- 
guji.  Horyuji. 


Fig.  11.  Kwannon. 
Wood.  Suiko  Period, 
593-628  or  Earlier. 

Koryuji  (Uzemasa) 
near  Kyoto. 


Fig.   12.      Shaka    Trinity.      Bronze.      Probably 
Tenchi-Temmei    Period,    668-686. 

Kondo,  Horyuji. 


Fig.  13.  Bronze  Screen  Behind  Sha- 
ka  Trinity  Illustrated  in  Figure  12. 
Tenchi-Temmei  Period,  668-686. 

Hondo,    Horyuji. 


Fig.  14.  Chan- 
dra. Wood,  gilt. 
Seventh  Century  A. 
D.  Horyuji. 


ig-   3 

Trinity.     First  Nara  Epoch    (711  A.  D. 
Interior   of  the  Kondo,   Horyuji. 


Fig.  16.  Wall  Painting, 
The  Shaka  Trinity.  Fi-si 
Nara  Epoch  (711  A.  D.  ?). 
Interior  of  the  Kondo,  Hory- 
uji. 


H6RYUJI 

early  T'ang  Period.  The  face  alone  reveals  its  Tartar 
origin;  body,  limbs,  costume  and  jewels  are  distinctly 
trans-Himalayan.  But  strong  Indian  influence  is  already 
seen  at  about  this  time ;  even  sporadically  perhaps  before, 
as  we  may  remark  in  the  bronze  statuette  illustrated 
under  Figure  25.  For,  as  early  as  the  middle  part  of 
the  seventh  century,  Indian  suavity  and  soft  rotundity  of 
limb  and  feature  had  already  made  itself  felt.  This  little 
bronze  we  may,  perhaps,  assign  to  the  post-Suiko  Era 
(628-668).  Formerly  one  of  the  ancient  treasures  of 
Horyuji,  it  now  forms  one  of  the  many  early  bronzes  pre- 
served in  the  collection  of  the  Imperial  Household. 

Beyond  the  Kwannon  stands  another  memorial  statu- 
ette of  Shotoku,  represented  this  time  as  a  youth  of  about 
sixteen.  It  may  well  be  a  copy  in  wood  of  the  faded 
painting  still  to  be  seen  hanging  upon  the  walls  of  the 
Hozo.  The  old-fashioned  style  of  tying  up  the  hair  in 
two  great  puffs  above  the  ears,  and  the  rich  and  volumi- 
nous garments  and  large,  turned-up  shoes,  lend  an  unus- 
ual charm  to  this  example  of  Ashikaga  wood-carving. 
Far  more  important  are  the  figures  of  certain  great  pre- 
lates of  the  Hosso  sect  of  Buddhism,  ranged  around  the 
narrow  platform.  The  figures  are  modeled  in  dry-lacquer 
over  a  wooden  core,  a  favorite  method  of  the  craftsmen  of 
the  Yoro-Tempyo  period  (717-749).  One  of  the  best  stat- 
ues is  that  of  Dozen-ritsushi,  an  amiable  old  priest,  if  one 
may  judge  by  the  half-smiling  expression  which  seems  to 
irradiate  his  not  unhandsome  face.  And  yet,  Dozen  has 
the  square  jaw  and  prominent  cheek  bones  that  denote  de- 
termination; and  indeed,  determination  would  be  re- 
quired of  one  who  would  master  the  mystic  doctrines  of 
the  Hosso  sect  of  Horyuji.  A  priestly  robe  hangs  in  well- 

33 


NARA 

ordered  folds  about  his  emaciated  form;  and  a  long 
wooden  scepter  is  lightly  held  in  his  delicate  hands.  Of 
the  other  lacquer  figures  ranged  about  the  Kwannon 
shrine,  there  are  few  worthy  of  a  place  beside  that  of 
Dozen.  Yet,  one  other  dry-lacquer  statue  may  well  be 
considered  to  rival  this  remarkable  work  of  art.  We  re- 
fer to  the  memorial  portrait  of  the  priest,  Gi-en,  Figure 
26,  the  greatest  treasure  of  Okadera,  Yamato,  and  a  mas- 
terpiece in  every  way. 

Facing  the  Yumedono,  there  stands  the  £den,  a  long 
double  building,  called  the  "  Painted  Apartment,"  in  al- 
lusion to  a  series  of  poor  Tosa-style  paintings  which  deco- 
rate it.  To  the  right  is  the  Shariden,  or  "  Place  of  the 
Relic,"  so  named  on  account  of  its  single  object  of  inter- 
est, a  so-called  "  Eye  ' '  of  Buddha.  This  relic  is  a  minute 
round  onyx,  enclosed  within  a  superb  rock-crystal  sharito 
or  reliquary.  Yet  it  is  not  the  relic  or  its  crystal  cup 
which  commands  our  attention  but  the  beautiful  gilt- 
bronze  lotiform  stand  that  supports  them  both.  The 
clear  chiselling  of  the  thickly  clustered  lotus  petals  re- 
calls the  superb  work  seen  in  a  somewhat  similar  reli- 
quary, part  of  the  treasure  of  Saidaiji  (q.  v.).  Like  the 
latter,  this  lovely  bit  of  bronze  is  said  to  be  an  example 
of  Chinese  work  of  the  Southern  Sung-Yuan  Dynasty 
( 1 2th- 1 3th  century).  Well  may  such  a  treasure  be 
wrapped  in  seven  covers  of  richest  brocade! 

Behind  this  double  building  stands  the  Dembodo,  an- 
other of  Horyuji's  treasure-houses.  Erected  in  the  nth 
year  of  Tempyo  (739)  by  Gyoshin  Sozu,  the  building 
dates  from  the  period  of  the  Emperor  Shomu,  that  zealous 
convert  to  the  Buddhist  faith.  The  interior,  Figure  27, 
contains  a  relic  of  the  ancient  palace  of  Ikaruga  in  its 

34 


H6RYtJJI 

paneled  ceiling,  upon  which  one  may  still  trace  quaint 
hints  of  the  original  color  decoration.  The  palace  of 
Ikaruga  was  the  residence  of  the  mother  of  Shotoku 
Taishi,  and  the  Chujuji,  which  we  shall  presently  visit, 
is  said  to  be  part  of  the  original  structure. 

Below  these  examples  of  Suiko  paneling  are  ranged  a 
long  line  of  superb  examples  of  the  sculptural  art  at- 
tributable to  the  latter  half  of  the  reign  of  Shomu  (724- 
748).  The  huge  seated  figure  of  Amida  (center)  exem- 
plifies the  peculiar  charm  of  Greco-Buddhist  art,  as  modi- 
fied by  the  genius  of  the  Japanese  artists  of  the  Tempyo 
Period  (729-49).  Modeled  in  dry-lacquer  and  richly  gilt, 
he  sits  high  upon  a  lacquered  lotus  stand.  The  great 
lotus  petals  have  long  since  vanished,  as,  indeed,  is  the 
case  with  nearly  all  of  the  stands  which  formerly  served 
to  support  the  Dembodo's  long  line  of  gilded  figures. 
Amida  sits  in  the  prescribed  pose,  his  knees  doubled  be- 
low him,  one  hand  raised  as  if  to  bestow  a  benediction. 
The  other  lies  naturally  upon  his  knee,  the  first  finger  and 
thumb  pressed  tightly  together.  The  face  is  broad;  the 
eyes  narrowed  and  elongated.  The  nose  is  finely  mod- 
eled, the  nostrils  wide.  But  the  chief  beauty  in  the  golden 
face  of  this  statue,  and  the  same  may  be  said  for  the  ma- 
jority of  the  figures  of  about  Tempyo  date,  is  the  exqui- 
site curl  of  the  full-arched  lips.  The  hands,  too, —  softly 
rounded  effeminate  hands, —  and  the  truthful  modeling  of 
the  somewhat  fleshy  throat  and  chest,  evince  the  distinct 
characteristics  of  Tempyo  (729-749)  as  influenced  by  the 
sensuous  Indian  style.  Another  representative  example 
of  this  famous  art  epoch  (to  the  right  of  the  hall)  is  the 
gilt  dry-lacquer  (kanshitsu)  Amida,  and  the  graceful  fig- 
ures of  Kwannon  and  Seishi,  modeled  in  the  same  rare 

35 


NARA 

material  and  richly  gilded,  seen  to  the  right  and  left  of 
the  main  deity. 

As  to  the  composition  of  these  dry-lacquer  figures,  and 
of  others  to  which  we  have  had  occasion  to  refer,  the 
method  of  manufacture  was  somewhat  as  follows:  A 
coarse  hempen  cloth  soaked  in  glue  was  tightly  spread 
over  a  wooden  frame  and  so  arranged  as  to  indicate  the 
general  lines  of  the  desired  figure.  Over  this  was  spread 
layer  after  layer  of  a  mixture  of  bark  and  lacquer.  When 
dry,  the  statue  might  either  be  rubbed,  until  it  took  on  a 
brilliant  black  polish,  painted,  or  covered  with  squares  of 
thin  gold-leaf. 

This  method  proved  to  be  a  great  improvement  over 
the  earlier  method  of  making  large  figures,  since  a  statue 

—  the  size  of  the  Tori  Shaka  or  Yumedono  Kwannon  say, 

—  could  now  be  made  of  like  size  but  weighing  only  a 
few  pounds. 

The  Nunnery  of  Chuguji,  beyond  the  Dembodo,  is  said 
to  have  once  formed  part  of  the  palace  of  the  mother  of 
the  great  Shotoku  Taishi.  It  still  stands  in  the  eastern 
corner  of  the  original  site  of  the  Palace  of  Ikaruga,  the 
residence  of  Shotoku  (d.  622).  The  Nihonji,  or  "  Chron- 
icles of  Japan,"  assure  us  that  under  Temmu  it  was  of 
considerable  size,  but  lost  ten  rooms  in  the  great  con- 
flagration of  680. 

Its  chief  treasure  consists  of  the  great  wooden  Kwan- 
non, Figure  10,  a  seated  statue  said  to  have  been  carved 
by  the  Regent  Shotoku  himself. 

Three  such  Kwannons  as  this  have  survived  to  us,  two 
being  preserved  in  the  ancient  temple  of  Koryuji,  Kyoto 
(q.  v.).  Of  these,  one  is  similarly  attributed  to  Shotoku, 
Figure  n,  the  other  being  traditionally  supposed  to  have 

36 


Fig.   17.      Shaka.        Clay,      Originally 
First  Nara  Epoch  and  about  708-724. 

Koryuji    (Uzemasa)    near   Kyoto. 


Fig.  18.  Kwannon. 
Wood,  painted.  About 
Tempei  Era,  749-767. 

Hondo,    Horyuji. 


Fig.  20.  Statuettes.  Clay,  painted  in 
polychrome.  First  Nara  Epoch  (711 
A.  D.  ?).  Pagoda,  Horyuji. 


Fig.  19.  Pagoda.  Suiko 
Period  (616  A.  D.)  or  First 
Nara  Epoch  (711  A.  D.). 

Horyuji. 


Fig.   21.     Kwannon.     Lacquer,  gilt. 

End   of   First   Nara   Epoch,    724-749. 

Shorinji,   Yamato. 


Fig.   22.     Yakushi.        Wood,     gilt. 
School  of  Jocho    (12th  Century). 

Yakushido,  Horyuji. 


Fig.   23.     Yumedono. 
Century.     Horyuji. 


Wood,  Plaster.     Eighth 
"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig. 
Wood,  plain. 


tury. 


24.         Kwannon. 
Eighth  Cen- 
Horyuji. 


been  sent  from  Hiakusai,  the  Korean  province  nearest  to 
Japan. 

The  Chuguji  figure,  however,  is  by  far  the  best.  The 
others  seem  lifeless  beside  it,  lacking  as  they  do  that 
mingling  of  dignity  and  beneficent  sweetness  which 
Shotoku  has  instilled  into  this  smiling  goddess.  The 
handling  of  the  square-shouldered  and  slim-waisted  body, 
nude  to  the  waist,  evinces  little  knowledge  of  anatomical 
values.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  render  bones  or 
muscles ;  even  the  hair  is  but  roughly  indicated. 

As  to  type,  the  figure  in  its  contemplative  pose,  mani- 
fests a  hint  of  Daruma's  dhyana  or  "  meditative  doctrine," 
a  doctrine  expounded  in  China  under  the  Emperor  Wu-ti, 
founder  of  the  Liang  Dynasty.  A  small  bronze  Kwannon 
of  Chinese  manufacture,  an  attenuated  figure  seated  in  a 
similar  contemplative  attitude  and  formerly  in  Horyuji's 
treasure-house,  is  indeed  assigned  by  many  Japanese  ex- 
perts to  either  the  Liang  or  Tzin  Dynasty  of  China, 
sixth  century.  But  Shotoku's  figure  is  superior  in  every 
way  to  this  little  bronze,  an  advantage  due,  no  doubt,  to 
the  Korean  influence  with  which  it  is  imbued. 

Again,  the  Chujuji  Kwannon  is  one  of  three  such  fig- 
ures to  be  ornamented  with  the  Korean  nimbus  affixed  to 
a  thick  shaft  of  camphor- wood  and  carved  in  the  form  of 
a  stout  bamboo  pole.  The  other  two  statues  are  the 
Kwannon  with  the  Vase  and  a  Nyorin  Kwannon,  which 
still  stands  enshrined  in  one  of  the  least  accessible  of 
Yamato's  many  temples. 

All  these  figures  may  be  assigned  to  a  period  early  in 
the  reign  of  the  Empress  Suiko  (593-628)  or  to  a  period 
just  prior  to  it. 

In  Chujuji  too  is  preserved  (right  of  Kwannon's  shrine) 

37 


NARA 

one  of  those  naive  memorial  statuettes  of  the  infant 
prince,  Mumayado  (Shotoku  Taishi).  The  figure  is  of 
painted  wood,  and  represents  the  future  regent  as  a  bald- 
headed,  fat-faced  and  somewhat  stolid  child  of  about 
three  years  of  age;  a  very  full-chested  little  boy,  clad  in 
a  pair  of  crimson  trousers  caught  in  tight  about  his  naked 
waist.  Many  such  statues  of  the  Regent  exist  —  the 
Suiko  temple  of  Koryuji  (Kyoto)  possesses  three  —  and 
it  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite  subject  with  sculptors  of 
the  Kamakura  School  (1185-1333).  The  statue  in  ques- 
tion is  indeed  attributed  to  Tankei,  the  gifted  son  of 
tinkei,  next  to  his  father  perhaps,  the  most  eminent  sculp- 
tor of  the  Kamakura  Period.  To  the  left  of  the  Kwannon 
Shrine  stands  a  charming  little  statue  of  Monju,  seated 
upon  a  lion.  The  figure  is  in  painted  wood  and  seems  to 
be  of  Kamakura  date,  though  a  far  earlier  epoch  is  claimed 
for  it. 

To  those  interested  in  ancient  embroideries,  Chujuji 
can  offer  two  unique  examples.  The  first,  known  as  the 
Tenjukoku-mandara,  dates  perhaps  from  Suiko  days,  as  it 
was  made  shortly  after  the  death  of  Shotoku  (622  A.D.). 
It  is  covered  with  Buddhistic  figure  designs  in  dull  red, 
rose,  black,  green,  yellow  and  white,  embroidered  in  silk 
upon  a  heavy  cloth.  Far  more  beautiful,  but  later  in 
date,  is  the  silk  embroidery  kakemono  representing  the 
"  Descent  of  Amida,  Monju  and  Fugen  to  Meet  the  Souls 
of  the  Blessed."  Here  is  an  ancient  conception  of  a 
beautiful  theme  which  shows  the  influence  of  the  great 
mystic  priest  and  artist,  Eshin  Sozu,  of  whom  more 
anon.  The  simple  poses  of  the  three  gracious  figures, 
their  lovely  faces  illuminated  with  smiles  of  tender 
greeting,  are  most  truthfully  rendered  in  delicate  threads 

38 


YAKUSHIJI 

of  faded  green,  brown,  yellow  and  black,  colors  which 
blend  with  one  another  and  seem  to  fade  into  the  back- 
ground of  age-stained  silk.  And  no  less  remarkable  are 
the  designs  that  ornament  the  wide  border,  designs  of 
lotus  flowers,  Sanskrit  characters  and  broad-tailed  phoe- 
nix birds,  designs  which  evince  the  influence  of  the  Sui 
or  Tang  (Chinese)  artists  of  the  early  seventh  century. 

YAKUSHIJI 

The  Temple  of  Yakushi,  or  Nishi-no-kyo,  as  it  is  some- 
times called,  was  one  of  the  seven  great  temples  of  Japan's 
first  established  capital,  Nara.6  The  ancient  city,  before 
it  became  the  capital  of  the  Island  Empire,  stood  some- 
what to  the  west  of  the  modern  village,  the  original  Yaku- 
shiji  to  the  north  of  the  old  town.  It  has  stood  upon  the 
site  it  now  occupies  since  716  A. D.  As  to  the  founding  of 
the  original  temple  tradition  has  this  to  say :  "  In  680  the 
Consort  of  the  Emperor  Temmu  was  ill,  and  no  physician 
could  cure  her.  She  made  a  vow  that  she  would  have 
images  of  Yakushi  cast  if  her  life  was  spared.  Upon  her 
recovery  shortly  afterwards,  the  Emperor  gave  commands 
to  have  the  work  done.  Unfortunately  he  died  before  the 
building  had  been  completed.  The  succeeding  Empress 
Jito  continued  the  work,  which  was  finished  in  697,  when 
a  grand  ceremony  of  "  Opening  the  Eyes  "  of  the  images 
was  held.  Further,  she  built  halls,  pagodas  and  resident- 
houses  in  honor  of  the  images." 

In  the  year  710  the  Empress  Gemmyo  fixed  her  capital 
at  Nara,  and  in  718,  Yakushi ji  having  been  destroyed  by 
fire,  a  certain  temple,  which  was  in  Okamoto,  Takaichi, 
was  removed  to  the  new  capital,  and  set  up  in  its  place. 
This  is  what  is  known  today  as  the  Temple  of  Yakushi. 

•  TodaijI,  KCfukftji,   Kwang6ji,  Dalanji,  Yakushiji,  Hdryflji,  Hdryinji, 

39 


NARA 

Though  at  some  distance  from  the  modern  village, 
Yakushiji  well  repays  a  visit.  And  not  the  least  part  of 
the  ride  thither  are  the  varied  glimpses  of  the  life  in  vil- 
lage and  plain.  Leaving  Nara  one  enjoys  a  momentary 
view  of  the  magnificent  Kasuga  cryptomerias ;  the  great 
red  torn;  the  serried  lines  of  lanterns,  and  the  browsing 
deer.  The  Pagoda  of  Kofukuji  soars  high  above  Kobo- 
Daishi's  contorted  pine.  The  myriads  of  hungry  turtles, 
which,  at  midday,  make  of  Sarusawa-no-Ike,  the  pond  at 
its  feet,  a  veritable  seething  cauldron,  claim  a  moment's 
notice,  on  the  left.  As  like  as  not  timid  deer  gaze  down 
upon  one  from  the  shadows  of  the  pines,  or  a  rushing  herd 
of  dainty  little  fawns  momentarily  blocks  the  way  to  the 
main  highroad.  Once  in  the  plain,  amidst  the  far-reach- 
ing stretches  of  barley,  wheat,  young  rice,  and  sweet- 
smelling  beans,  the  song  of  the  lark  gladdens  one's  ears. 
For  here  larks  are  singing  as  only  larks  can  —  brilliant 
flights  of  coloratura,  continued  on  and  on,  unceasingly. 
Verily,  a  poet  should  immortalize  the  larks  of  the  Nara 
Plain,  and  those  of  the  Yakushiji  in  particular. 

Before  the  entrance  to  Yakushiji  is  reached,  one  passes 
the  Jizo-in,  a  cluster  of  rambling  apartments  where  live 
the  few  superannuated  guardians  of  the  silent,  and  seem- 
ingly deserted  temple  beyond.  For  Yakushiji,  at  one 
time  well  within  the  limits  of  the  ancient  capital, —  indeed, 
one  of  its  most  frequented  sites  —  appears  today  lost, 
abandoned,  stranded.  Finished  are  its  great  processions, 
in  which  the  pomp  and  ceremonial  of  the  splendour-lov- 
ing Buddhist  faith  delighted  so  to  display  itself!  Yaku- 
shiji no  longer  welcomes  the  long  lines  of  white-robed  pil- 
grims, with  their  tinkling  bells  and  rattling  shaku  I  No 
longer  does  the  peasant  stop  to  clap  his  toil-worn  hands 

40 


YAKUSHIJI 

in  the  faces  of  her  gods !  No  longer  do  the  archers  prac- 
tice in  the  court  or  the  children  play  about  her  clustered 
columns!  No!  Except  for  a  few  courteous  old  bonzes, 
Yakushiji  is  forsaken. 

Yet  here  are  preserved  some  of  the  world's  most  re* 
markable  examples  of  metal-work,  gigantic  figures  of 
gods,  whose  very  names  are  now  but  guessed  at;  figures 
brilliant  with  the  lustrous  patine  of  a  thousand  years  or 
more. 

Within  the  temple  enclosure,  half  hidden  by  a  wall  of 
tall  cedars,  stand  three  low  buildings,  a  pagoda  and  an 
open  shoro  or  bell-tower.  One  is  conducted  first  to  the 
Butsukudo,  a  small  shrine  which  contains  a  single  rare 
object,  an  outlined  drawing  on  stone,  dating  from  the 
First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749).  The  design  represents  the 
Buddha's  footprints,  and  it  is  said  to  have  been  chiselled 
by  Yasukata  Koshida.  With  the  engraving  of  the 
Buddhas  and  bbdhisattva  upon  the  lotus-leaves  of  the 
Daibutsu  of  Todaiji,  presently  to  be  discussed,  it  forms 
one  of  the  rare  examples  of  work  of  this  kind,  that  has 
survived  from  the  early  years  of  the  eighth  century.  In 
the  Imperial  Museum  of  Kyoto,  one  may  still  see  the 
original  painted  design  for  this  piece  of  early  engraving. 
The  huge  polished  slab  of  marble  near  by,  a  tablet  cov- 
ered with  an  extraordinarily  fine  example  of  Chinese  cal- 
ligraphy extolling  the  Buddha,  was  erected  here  by  com- 
mand of  the  Empress  Gemmyo  (708-715).  The  Butsu- 
kudo stands  on  the  edge  of  a  double  lotus  pond,  whose 
banks  in  May  are  bright  with  purple  irises.  Mirrored  in 
its  quiet  waters,  stands  the  tall  and  graceful  Sanjunoto 
Pagoda,  Figure  28.  This  splendid  structure,  some  115 
feet  in  height,  is  not  only  remarkable  on  account  of  its 

41 


NARA 

great  age, —  dating  as  it  probably  does,  from  the  year 
718  A.  D. —  but  to  architects  it  possesses  an  additional 
attraction  and  one  well-nigh  unique.  For,  as  its  name 
indicates,  it  is  composed  of  a  series  of  six  stories,  which 
run  in  pairs.  In  each  case  the  uppermost  of  the  two  tiers 
overreaches  the  lower,  lending  a  quaint  yet  far  from  un- 
graceful effect  to  the  building,  as  a  whole.  Within  it 
contains  a  painted  ceiling,  which  still  reveals  faint  traces 
of  its  original  floral  decoration.  At  the  four  corners  of 
the  central  dais  stand  painted-wood  images  of  the  Shi- 
Tenno  or  "  Four  Heavenly  Kings."  These  guardians  of 
the  four  points  of  the  compass,  protectors  of  devout 
Buddhists,  are  commonly  installed  within  an  inner  gate 
of  the  temple  precincts,  and  not  at  an  outer  portal,  as  is 
invariably  the  case  with  the  two  ferocious  Ni-6,  Indra 
and  Brahma.  With  the  gilt-wood  statuettes  of  Amida 
ranged  about  them,  the  figures  date  perhaps  from  the 
close  of  the  Ashikaga  Epoch  (i6th  century). 

Of  far  greater  antiquity  is  the  suiyen  or  bronze  orna- 
ment which  still  caps  the  summit  of  the  Pagoda.  A  copy 
of  the  design  in  plaster  stands  near  the  exit.  As  we  there 
see  them,  these  designs  consist  of  Buddhist  angels,  rep- 
resented either  as  floating  lightly  in  the  air,  supporting 
bowls  in  their  long  slim  hands,  or  playing  upon  thin  reed 
flutes.  Their  voluminous  trouser-like  robes  and  skirts, 
and  the  long  scarfs  which  float  far  behind  and  above  them, 
mingle  with  the  cloud  or  flame  pattern,  the  whole  form- 
ing sort  of  a  flaming  oval,  similar  to  the  Buddhist  emblem 
hoshu-no-tama.  There  are  four  of  such  designs,  and  they 
are  fitted  into  position  on  the  huge  bronze  pole,  back  to 
back,  so  that  each  faces  one  of  the  four  cardinal  points. 
The  design  is  purely  Chinese,  and  in  it  we  may  readily 

42 


YAKUSHIJI 

detect  the  influence  of  the  art  of  Northern  Wei,  so  called. 
The  style  is  well  exemplified  in  the  magnificent  gilt- 
bronze  nimbus,  belonging  to  the  Imperial  Household  Col- 
lection, which  was  recently  exhibited  in  the  Tokyo  Mu- 
seum. To  the  right  of  the  Kondo  stands  the  open  bell- 
tower,  in  which  still  hangs  a  richly  patinated  bronze  bell. 
This  is  now  cracked  and  voiceless,  having  served  its  pur- 
pose for  a  period  estimated  at  some  1300  years. 

The  Kondo,  as  we  now  see  it,  is  not  the  original  eighth 
century  structure,  to  which  we  have  above  referred,  for 
that  was  utterly  destroyed  by  a  typhoon  in  1445.  Again, 
in  1529,  the  building  was  reduced  to  ashes  by  a  terrible 
conflagration,  from  which  only  the  great  bronze  figures 
were  saved.  Arrived  before  its  ponderous  red  doors,  one 
must  conceal  impatience,  for  it  not  unusually  chances  that 
at  least  ten  minutes  are  consumed  by  the  wheezing  old 
priest  in  catching  its  primitive  bar-lock.  And  this  he  es- 
says to  do  with  a  long  iron  hook,  itself  worthy  of  a  niche 
in  some  museum  of  monstrosities. 

One  enters  the  building  by  a  narrow  passage  at  the 
back  of  Yakushi's  sumeru-altar.  Suddenly  one  comes 
face  to  face  with  the  Kondo's  three  giants.  At  sight  of 
them  it  is  quite  impossible  to  suppress  an  exclamation  of 
surprise,  a  tribute  keenly  appreciated  by  the  smiling  and 
justly  proud  bonze  at  one's  shoulder. 

The  three  great  statues  represent  the  Healing-God, 
Yakushi,  Figure  29,  seated  at  center ;  Chandra,  the  Lunar- 
Deity,  standing  to  the  right,  Figure  30;  and  Surya,  the 
Solar-Deity,  to  the  left,  Figure  31.  Of  Yakushi,  the 
Healer,  it  is  said  that  he  lives  in  the  Land  of  Bliss  in  the 
Eastern  Quarter,  where  Surya  and  Chandra  assist  him. 
He  is  considered  the  God-of-Healing  par  excellence,  on 

43 


NARA 

account  of  one  of  his  twelve  vows,  in  which  he  is  supposed 
to  have  cried :  "  If  my  name  be  heard  by  one  who  is  suffer- 
ing by  disease,  he  shall  be  immediately  healed." 

The  calm  beauty  of  these  three  statues,  their  gracious 
poses;  the  strong  feeling  for  naturalism  evinced  in  the 
modelling  of  their  rounded  forms  and  the  technical  skill 
shown  in  the  casting  of  such  colossi,  is  little  short  of  mar- 
vellous !  Can  it  be  possible  that  but  a  single  short  cen- 
tury has  passed  since  Tori  produced  the  crude  trinities  of 
Horyuji's  Kondo?  As  we  note  the  freedom  of  treatment 
and  sensuous  grace;  the  softened  contours  of  the  faces; 
the  full  hips  and  rounded  limbs,  and  the  filmy  veils  and 
draperies  that  cling  so  naturally  and  rhythmically  to  the 
bodies,  we  see  at  once  that  the  artist  has  already  suc- 
ceeded in  breaking  away  from  all  trace  of  the  hieratic  and 
conventional.  There  is  little  here  of  Suiko  or  post-Suiko 
date.  Indeed,  we  may  now  study  what  is  perhaps  the 
commencement  of  that  grand  phase  of  Greco-Buddhist 
art  which  was  to  culminate  in  the  superb  creations  of 
Japan's  most  sublime  art  period,  the  First  Nara  Epoch 
(708-749). 

These  three  superb  figures  may  easily  take  their  places 
beside  anything  of  the  kind  that  has  survived  from  Europe 
or  the  East,  whether  ancient,  mediaeval,  or  modern.  In 
one  respect,  however,  the  three  stand  in  a  class  quite  by 
themselves,  for  unlike  the  generality  of  bronzes,  both 
western  and  eastern,  these  three  colossi  are  covered  with 
a  patina  of  a  deep  and  most  brilliantly  lustrous  black. 
Indeed,  until  the  opposite  doors  are  thrown  open  by  the 
priestly  guide  and  the  full  light  of  a  bright  spring  day 
plays  about  their  burnished  forms,  it  is  hard  to  con- 
vince oneself  that  the  trinity  is  not  carved  from  some 

44 


Fig.    28.     Pagoda, 
the  Eighth  Century. 


Early    part    of 


Yakushiji,    Nara. 


Fig.  26.  Statue  of  the  Priest 
Gi-en.  Dry  lacquer.  Eighth  Cen- 
tury. Okadera,  Yamato. 


Fig.  27.  The  Dembodo.  The  Hanging  Cano- 
ries  are  Relics  of  the  Ikaruga  Palace  of  the 
Seventh  Century.  Horyuji. 


Fig.  25.  A  Bodhisattva. 
Bronze,  gilt.  Seventh 
Century.  Imperial  House- 
hold Collection. 

"Nippon    Seikwa." 


Fig.  29.  Yakushi.  Bronze  (Shakudo). 
Cast  by  Gyogi  Bosatsu,  Early  Part  of  the 
Eighth  Century.  Main  Deity  of  the  Kon- 
do  of  Yakushiji.  Nara. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  30.  Chandra  the  Lunar 
Deity.  Bronze  (shakudo).  At- 
tendant of  Same.  Yakushiji, 
Nara.  "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  31.  Surya  the  Solar 
Deity.  Bronze  (shakudo).  At- 
tendant of  Same.  Yakushiji, 
Nara.  "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.   32.     Pedestal       of       Figure       29. 

Bronze   (shakudo).     By  Gyogi  the  Korean, 

Early   Eighth    Century.     Yakushiji,    Nara. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


YAKUSHIJI 

such  material  as  a  stupendous  block  of  ebony.  No  such 
bronzes  may  be  seen  elsewhere,  either  in  Japan,  China  or 
any  other  country. 

The  great  square  altar  upon  which  Yakushi  sits  is  com- 
posed of  the  same  material,  Figure  32.  It  fits  over  a 
square  masonry  core,  faced  with  blocks  of  white  Chinese 
marble.  And,  as  the  figures  themselves  show  strong 
Greco-Buddhist  influence,  so  the  designs  that  encircle 
the  altar  are  exotic  in  style.  The  band  of  grapes  and 
grape-leaves  and  the  coursing  dragon  suggest  Greco- 
Bactrian  and  Han  (Chinese)  influence.  The  squares, 
with  their  floral  rosettes  and  honeysuckle  designs,  may 
have  sprung  from  Asia  through  Han.  The  hideous  little 
figures,  with  their  curly  hair,  suggest  the  demons  of  Bud- 
dhist Indian  lore. 

The  maker  of  these  lustrous  bronze  giants  was  a  cer- 
tain Gyogi,  a  Korean  by  birth.  This  Gyogi  Bosatsu, 
(670-749),  well  named  "  Enlightened,"  was  one  of  the 
versatile  priests  who  served  the  great  Emperor  Shomu, 
being  at  once  adviser  to  the  throne,  Buddhist  Abbot,  art- 
ist, engineer  and  one  of  the  greatest  sculptors  or  bronze 
founders  that  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

Having  gazed  at  these  bronze  treasures  of  the  Kondo, 
we  can  feel  perhaps  more  keenly  the  loss  of  the  great  em- 
broidered silk  representation  of  Buddha,  which  history 
tells  us  was  ordered  to  be  made  for  Yakushiji  by  the  Em- 
press Jito  (687-696).  Tradition  gives  its  measurements 
as  30  feet  by  20,  which  would  make  it  larger  than  the 
eighteenth  century  Buddhist  altar  piece  still  hanging  in 
the  dingy  Lama  Temple  in  Peking. 

But  especially  interesting  as  showing  the  transition 
from  the  seventh  century  Korean  figures  to  the  perfection 

45 


NARA 

of  the  sculptural  art  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch,  and  more 
especially  to  that  great  epoch  marked  by  the  Wado- 
Yoro  Eras  (708-721),  is  the  statue  of  Kwannon  preserved 
in  the  near-by  Toindo.  This  splendid  bronze,  Figure  33, 
unlike  the  images  of  the  Kondo,  was  cast  hollow.  It  is 
a  gleaming  mass  of  brownish  or  greenish-yellow  bronze, 
composed  on  an  alloy  called  embudagon,  a  blending  of 
gold  and  copper,  in  the  ratio  of  70  to  30;  a  reversal,  by 
the  way,  of  the  usual  order.  This  statue  stands  some  7 
feet  in  height,  and  it  is  traditionally  said  to  have  been 
presented  to  Japan  by  the  Koreans  towards  the  close  of 
the  seventh  century.  In  its  mingling  of  stiffness  and 
suavity  —  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the  body  are  quite 
out  of  rhythm  —  it  seems  to  bridge  the  little-known  art 
period,  which  follows  the  reign  of  Tenchi  (668)  and  ex- 
tends to  that  of  Wado,  708.  Indeed,  the  figure  is  strongly 
reminiscent  of  the  eleven-faced  stone  Kwannon  of  Gan- 
goji,  Nara.  One  sees  already  more  than  a  hint  of  the  so- 
called  Greco-Buddhist  influence,  so  noticeable  in  Gyoji's 
great  black  trinity,  and  from  which  sprang  somewhat 
later  such  exquisite  creations  as  the  lacquered  image  of 
Kala,  Figure  i,  or  that  superb  Kwannon  of  Shorinji,  il- 
lustrated in  Figure  22.  The  last,  one  of  the  supremely 
beautiful  works  of  art  produced  during  the  reign  of  the 
Emperor  Shomu  (728-749)  is  modelled  in  dry-lacquer  and 
is  entirely  covered  with  gold-leaf.  It  lacks  but  a  few 
inches  of  being  10  feet  in  height.  To  the  right  of  the 
bronze  Kwannon  of  the  Toindo  stands  a  small  but  ex- 
quisitely modelled  wooden  figure  of  Jizo,  the  tender  pro- 
tector of  mothers  and  little  children.  It  is  undoubtedly 
an  excellent  work  by  one  of  the  master  wood-carvers  of 
the  Ashikaga  Epoch  (i6th  century).  In  a  large  black- 

46 


YAKUSHIJI 

lacquer  shrine  to  the  left  stands  the  Juichimen  or 
"  Eleven-faced  Kwannon,"  illustrated  in  Figure  34.  This 
statue  is  carved  in  wood,  and  originally  painted;  faint 
traces  of  the  white  priming  and  floral  designs  being  still 
visible  upon  it.  Somewhat  of  early  Nara  grace  is  pres- 
ent in  the  pose  and  modeling  of  the  body  and  limbs,  but 
the  sculptor  has  already  lost  the  secret  of  proportion. 
The  figure  appears  stunted ;  the  limbs,  especially  the  long 
right  arm,  are  rigid.  The  face,  with  its  thin-lipped 
mouth,  flat  nose,  and  unnaturally  broad  and  contourless 
features,  is  far  removed  from  the  beauty  of  Yoro  or  early 
Tempyo  (729-749)  as  evinced  in  the  superb  Kwannon  of 
Shorinji,  to  which  we  have  above  referred. 

The  two  remarkable  colored  wooden  statues  of  Nakat- 
suhime  and  Sogyo-Hachiman,  Figures  35-36,  represent 
the  best  examples  of  the  wood-carver's  art  that  have  sur- 
vived to  us  from  the  ninth  century.  For  the  figures  are 
said  to  have  been  carved  by  a  certain  Eisho,  a  Buddhist 
priest,  who  flourished  during  the  Kwanpei  Era  (889-898). 
In  these  ancient  carvings,  more  especially  in  that  of 
Sogyo,  the  artist  has  sought  to  carry  on  the  best  tradi- 
tions of  the  clay  and  lacquer  modelers  of  the  earlier  cen- 
tury, but  his  school  has  already  lost  its  grip,  as  is  evident 
when  we  turn  to  such  splendid  statues  as  those  of 
Dozen,  in  the  Yumedono  of  Horyuji.  Luckily,  an  Unkei 
was  soon  to  restore  the  decadent  art  of  sculptural  por- 
traiture to  the  lofty  heights  achieved  by  the  Nara  artists. 
The  figure  in  question  is  undoubtedly  to  be  attributed  to 
the  Early  Fujiwara  Epoch  (889-1068).  For,  though  it 
be  true  that  this  period  still  reflected  the  beauties  of 
Early  Nara ;  yet,  a  deterioration  had  set  in,  a  lowering  of 
ideals,  which  was  to  continue  until  the  coming  of  Jocho, 

47 


NARA 

and  his  followers,  the  "Onkei  School  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury. 

The  smaller  colored  wood  figure  of  Miroku,  the  "  Ex- 
pected Buddha,"  evinces  much  of  ftnkei's  style ;  yet  there 
is  about  it  a  certain  calm  aloofness,  which  bespeaks  a 
somewhat  earlier  date.  Miroku  is  justifiably  assigned  to 
the  period  of  the  Late  Fujiwara  (1069-1185). 

In  contrast  to  the  wretched  Guardian  Deities  (Modern) 
of  the  Korido,  the  fiercely  gesticulating  figures  of  the  Shi- 
Tenno,  here  in  the  Toindo,  provide  us  with  superb  exam- 
ples of  ftnkei's  art  (i2th  century).  Two  other  early 
sculptural  treasures  grace  the  dais  of  the  Toindo;  a 
wooden  image  of  the  God  Fudo,  a  statue  attributed  to 
Kobo  Daishi  (early  gth  century),  and  the  figure  of  Kichi- 
joten,  the  latter  said  to  have  been  carved  by  the  Buddhist 
saint,  Dengyo  Daishi,  who  flourished  about  the  year 
Soo  A.  D. 

In  the  Kodo  sits  a  black-bronze  Yakushi,  similar  to 
that  already  described  in  the  Kondo,  but  of  somewhat 
earlier  date.  This  statue,  with  the  two  standing  bodhi- 
sattva  which  flank  it,  were  the  main  deities  of  the  original 
Kondo  of  Yakushiji,  burnt  early  in  the  eighth  century, 
and  rebuilt  in  the  year  716  A.  D.  The  great  bronzes  of 
this  original  group,  though  beautiful,  with  a  somewhat 
archaic  beauty,  cannot  compare  with  the  Kondo  trinity. 
Still,  they  serve  to  impress  upon  us  the  rapidity  with 
which  the  Japanese  of  the  Wado-Yoro  (708-721)  had  per- 
fected the  pure  Greco-Buddhist  art. 

The  priest's  apartments,  or  Jizo-in,  contain  a  number 
of  famous  pictorial  treasures,  paintings  which  are  exhib- 
ited from  time  to  time  in  the  Nara  Museum.  The  two 
most  famous  treasures  here  to  be  seen,  are  the  figures  of 

48 


Fig.    34.   Kwannon.    Wood,  paint- 
ed.     End  of  Eighth   Century. 


T6- 


indo,  Yakushiji,   Nara. 

Tajima,   "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  35.  Nakatsuhime.  Wood,  paint- 
ed. End  of  Ninth  Century.  Yaku- 
shiji, Nara. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.   36.      Sogyo    Hachiman.      Wood, 
painted.     End  of  Ninth   Century. 

Yakushiji,  Nara. 


Fig.   33.     Kwannon.  Bronze. 

Late  Seventh  to  early  Eighth  Cen- 
tury. Toindo,  Yakushiji,  Nara. 


Fig.  37.  Sri.  Painting  on  Coarse 
Hemp.  Eighth  Century.  Yakushiji, 
Nara. 


Fig.   38.     Portrait    in    Colours    on 

Silk    of    the    Chinese    Priest    Tzu-en. 

Attributed  to  the  Eleventh  Century. 

Yakushiji,  Nara. 


Fig.   39.     A    Goddess    Painting    on 

Wood.      By    Giogon     (1295)     in    the 

Style     of    Fujiwara    Artists     of    the 

Eleventh   Century.     Yakushiji,   Nara. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  40.  Shaka.  Wood.  Attri- 
buted to  the  Priest  Kosho  (13th 
Century).  Saidaiji,  Nara. 


YAKUSHIJI 

the  Goddess  Sri,  Figure  37,  and  that  of  the  Chinese 
priest,  Jion  Daishi,  Figure  38. 

The  figure  of  Sri  is  painted  upon  a  coarse  hempen 
cloth ;  the  colors  made  use  of  are  red,  white,  dark  green, 
tea-brown,  black,  dark  blue  and  gold.  The  pose  of  the 
figure  is  most  natural  and  free.  One  feels  a  rush  of  the 
wind  that  causes  the  voluminous  skirts  of  the  goddess  to 
play  about  her  small  flat  feet,  in  graceful  swirls  and  un- 
dulations. The  garments,  the  coiffure,  and  the  queerly 
marked  features,  show  the  costume  and  manner  of  paint- 
ing the  face  in  vogue  early  in  the  Nara  Epoch  (8th  cen- 
tury). The  arched  eyebrows,  of  a  type  called  "moth- 
like  " ;  the  full,  round  cheeks,  covered  with  rice  powder 
and  rouged;  the  quaint  spots  of  color  between  the  eye- 
brows and  at  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  reveal  the  mode  of 
Koken's  or  Konin's  day,  at  which  date,  indeed,  the  paint- 
ing is  supposed  to  have  been  executed.  It  further  shows 
us  that  during  this  period  the  pictorial  style  introduced 
from  Korea  had  already  given  place  to  that  of  the  Chinese 
of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (618-907  A.  D.).  Indeed,  to  some 
extent  this  change  of  style  had  already  set  in  toward  the 
end  of  the  reign  of  Kotoku  (d.  654).  Under  the  Em- 
press Koken  (749-58)  it  had  reached  a  certain  develop- 
ment. For,  at  this  time,  paintings  of  naive  landscapes  ap- 
pear, illustrations  which  depict  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  time.  And  we  can  but  bemoan  the  loss  of  many 
works  of  art  of  about  this  date,  if  we  may  trust  the  Ni- 
honji  or  "  Chronicles  of  Japan,"  which  alludes  to  an  Im- 
perial Art  Bureau,  as  now  established,  which  included  as 
many  as  a  hundred  and  thirty  artists. 

As  it  is,  this  painting  of  Sri,  with  the  engraved  de- 
signs of  Buddhas  upon  the  huge  leaves  of  Nara's  Dai- 

49 


NARA 

butsu  (cast  in  749),  and  the  outline  of  Buddha's  foot- 
prints by  Koshida,  already  spoken  of,  are  all  that  have 
survived  to  us,  in  this  genre,  from  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighth  century. 

In  the  Jizo-in  again,  one  may  still  enjoy  a  splendid 
series  of  panel-paintings  of  deities  said  to  have  been  exe- 
cuted by  the  artist  Giogon,  working  in  the  style  of  the 
Fujiwara  artists  of  the  eleventh  century.  Giogon  is  said 
to  have  painted  the  series  in  the  year  1295.  Three  of  the 
panels  are  especially  beautiful  both  in  composition  and 
color;  and  through  them  all  runs  the  influence  of  the 
Chinese  painters  of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (618-907).  Un- 
fortunately they  are  in  a  bad  state  of  preservation,  though 
the  best,  Figure  39,  still  reveals  the  facile  brush  of  the 
artist,  and  through  him,  the  refined  taste  and  undoubted 
ability  of  the  Fujiwara  painters. 

Another  pictorial  treasure  here  to  be  seen  is  the  por- 
trait in  colors  on  silk  of  the  Buddhist  sage,  Jion  Daishi, 
illustrated  in  Figure  38. 

Jion  Daishi  (631-682)  was  a  native  of  Hsian,  the  old 
T'ang  capital,  in  the  province  of  Shenshi,  China.  Enter- 
ing the  priesthood  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  was  soon 
acclaimed  as  first  among  a  class  of  three  thousand  stu- 
dents of  Sanskrit.  He  studied  under  one  of  the  greatest 
religious  instructors  of  China,  Hsiian-tsang.  The  latter 
priest  had  gone  to  India  in  629  A.  D.,  in  fulfillment  of  a 
vow,  and  returned  in  645  A.  D.,  bringing  with  him  657 
volumes  of  the  Buddhist  scripture,  and  numerous  sacred 
relics. 

And  not  only  was  China  sending  her  missionaries  to 
Japan,  men  of  learning  such  as  Jion  Daishi,  but,  as  early 
as  the  seventh  century,  many  Japanese  had  crossed  to 

50 


YAKUSHIJI 

China  to  study  religion  and  the  classics  at  the  capital  of 
the  T'ang  Emperors,  Hsian. 

The  Nihonji,  or  "  Chronicles  of  Japan,"  refers  to  two, 
who  in  658  A.  D.,  went,  by  the  Empress  Saimei's  express 
commands,  to  study  under  this  same  Hsuan-tsang.  They 
returned  via  Korea,  in  684  A.  D.,  bringing  with  them  no 
doubt  many  objects  of  art  and  literature,  representative 
of  the  culture  of  the  T'ang  Court. 

But  to  return  to  Jion  Daishi.  His  whole  career  was 
devoted  to  the  promulgation  of  the  mystic  doctrines  of 
the  Hozo  sect  of  Buddhism  —  Horyuji's  sect  —  of  which 
indeed  he  was  the  original  founder.  The  Daishi  was  an 
indefatigable  worker,  and  earned  for  himself  the  title  of 
"  The  commentator  of  the  one  hundred  texts."  In  the 
act  of  compiling  one  of  his  great  commentaries,  the  un- 
known artist  has  depicted  him.  As  to  the  history  of  the 
painting,  it  is  traditionally  assigned  to  a  Chinese  artist 
of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (618-907).  Yet  there  are  certain 
critics  who  see  in  it  the  work  of  a  Japanese  artist  of  about 
the  tenth  to  eleventh  centuries ;  an  artist  working,  to  be 
sure,  in  the  T'ang  style  of  China. 

Whoever  the  author,  he  has  done  credit  to  his  subject, 
measured  even  by  Chinese  canons.  For  what  says  Hu 
Chuan :  "  No  branch  of  painting  is  so  difficult  as  that 
of  portraiture.  It  is  not  that  reproduction  of  the  features 
is  difficult;  the  difficulty  lies  in  painting  the  springs  of 
action  hidden  in  the  heart.  The  face  of  a  great  man  may 
resemble  the  face  of  a  mean  man,  but  their  hearts  will  not 
be  alike.  Therefore,  to  paint  a  likeness  which  does  not 
exhibit  these  heart  impulses; — leaving  it  an  open  ques- 
tion whether  the  sitter  is  a  great  man  or  a  mean  man  — 
is  to  be  unskilled  in  the  art  of  portraiture."  Thus  a  critic 


NARA 

of  the  twelfth  century,  who  would  certainly  have  found 
it  a  far  from  easy  matter  to  express  Jion's  "heart 
impulses"  in  his  rigidly  energetic  pose  and  keenly  alert 
face. 

SAIDAIJI 

Like  Yakushiji,  the  temple  Saidaiji,  or  Great  Western 
Temple,7  is  stranded  far  out  upon  the  Nara  Plain.  And 
similarly,  its  decaying  buildings  contain  many  treasures 
in  lacquer,  wood,  and  bronze,  and  a  number  of  early  paint- 
ings on  silk. 

In  the  Kondo,  a  large  red-and-white  building  raised 
upon  a  masonry-platform,  some  five  feet  from  the  ground, 
one  may  admire  a  splendid  example  of  wood-carving  in 
the  Chinese  style.  This,  the  main  deity  of  the  temple, 
represents  a  statue  of  Shaka,  carved  from  a  single  block 
of  camphor-wood,  Figure  40.  It  is  attributed  to  the 
priest,  Kosho  (1201-1290).  The  style  is  one  which  we 
have  not  as  yet  seen.  But  it  is  one  familiar  to  those 
who  have  gazed  upon  the  great  stone  figures  of  Ceylon, 
or  examined  the  embossed-carving  of  the  tower  of 
Amaravati  in  southern  India.  Its  presence  in  Japan  re- 
veals the  influence  of  the  northern  Chinese  sculptors  of 
the  Early  T'ang  Dynasty.  The  queerly  accentuated  folds 
of  drapery  are  modelled  in  what  is  known  as  the  ryusui 
or  "  flowing-water  "  style,  and  the  type  is  seen  in  more 
than  one  well-known  ancient  statue.  The  Shoryoji  near 
Kyoto  possesses  a  striking  example,  as  does  Emmyoji 
(Onizumi)  and  Gokurakuji  (Kamakura).  The  original 
Chinese  model  of  these  four  statues  was  at  best  a  clumsy 
attempt  to  interpret  the  far  more  suave  lines  of  an  In- 

7  In  contradistinction  to  Todaji,  the  Great  Eastern  Temple. 

52 


SAIDAIJI 

dian  original.  In  this  case  Kosho's  Shaka  seems  to  be 
a  copy  of  the  original  Chinese  (?)  Shaka  at  Shoryoji, 
which  temple  tradition  would  have  us  believe  is  a  con- 
temporary likeness  of  the  Buddha. 

A  somewhat  naive  reason  is  offered  for  the  "  flowing- 
water  "  style  seen  in  Shaka's  closely  fitting  robe.  It 
seems  that  when  Shaka  revealed  himself  to  the  original 
sculptor,  the  latter  was  so  blinded  by  the  radiance  that 
emanated  from  the  Buddha  that  he  was  unable  to  gaze 
upon  him.  Shaka  thereupon  caused  his  reflection  to  be 
mirrored  in  the  surface  of  a  pool,  and  the  sculptor  slav- 
ishly reproduced  the  reflected  image,  including  the  rip- 
ples which  from  time  to  time  passed  over  the  water. 

To  the  right  of  Shaka's  black-lacquered  shrine,  sits  a 
rather  gross  Miroku,  the  Expected  Buddha,  a  large  figure 
in  gilt-wood,  said  to  date  from  the  end  of  the  Fujiwara 
Period  (1072-1155).  No  tradition  exists  as  to  the  au- 
thor, but  to  Kosho  again  are  attributed  the  gilt-wood 
Monju  seated  in  a  lotus  flower  on  the  back  of  a  lion  and 
his  four  attendants.  All  five  appear  to  us  to  be  of  far 
later  date,  and  we  should  have  assigned  them,  at  best,  to 
the  latter  part  of  the  Ashikaga  Epoch  (i6th  century). 
Far  earlier  and  better  is  the  startlingly  realistic  memorial- 
statuette  of  that  shadow  of  the  Emperor  Shomu,  the 
Korean  priest,  Gyogi.  It  may  well  be  attributed  to  the 
Yoro  or  Early  Tempyo  Era  (717-749),  since  it  hardly 
seems  possible  that  such  a  remarkable  likeness  could  have 
been  modelled  at  a  date  subsequent  to  GyojTs  death, 
which  took  place  in  749.  Indeed,  temple  tradition  would 
have  us  believe  that  it  was  carved  by  the  maker  of  the 
famous  black-bronzes  of  Yakushiji  himself. 

In  the  Kwannondo,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  a  dilapi- 

53 


NARA 

dated  building  to  the  right  of  the  main  approach,  stands 
an  enormous  gilt-lacquer  figure  of  the  Goddess  Kwannon 
of  Fujiwara  date.  To  her  left  stands  the  smaller  but  far 
more  beautiful  painted  wood  figure  of  Sri,  a  figure  that 
seems  to  have  preserved  somewhat  of  First  Nara  charm 
in  the  purity  and  dignity  of  its  dimly  seen  features.  On 
each  side  of  the  main  deity  stand  four  large  bronze  figures 
of  the  Shi-Tenno,  or  guardians  of  the  four  quarters  of  the 
horizon,  said  to  have  been  cast  in  the  year  765.  The 
unknown  artist  has  but  weakly  expressed  the  earlier  con- 
ception of  these  four  demon-quellers,  and  we  can  well 
believe  them  survivals  of  the  Tempei-Jingo  Era  —  when 
all  the  rhythm,  taste,  and  truth  of  First  Nara  had  been 
lost. 

It  is  to  the  Aizendo  that  one  must  turn  if  one  would 
see  the  small  treasures  of  Saidaiji;  to  the  rambling  clus- 
ter of  low-roofed  apartments  in  which  live  the  courteous 
priests  in  charge.  The  Aizendo  takes  its  name  from  a 
small  painted  wood  statue  of  Aizen  Myo-6,  enshrined  in 
the  center  of  the  main  altar.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
carved  by  the  Abbot  Kosho,  who  died  in  1290.  This 
fierce-eyed  little  god  is  represented  with  six  arms  and 
three  eyes,  and  the  tigerish  ferocity  of  his  expression  is 
most  realistically  brought  out  by  the  priestly  sculptor. 
But  the  hideous  little  demon  is  not  only  famous  for 
the  masterly  realism  evinced  in  its  carving,  but  more  so 
perhaps  for  the  legends  that  attach  to  it  the  power  of 
warding  off  danger  to  the  country,  and  especially,  the  at- 
tacks of  foreign  invaders.  Tradition  states  that  at  the 
coming  of  the  Mongols  in  the  thirteenth  century,  Aizen 
shot  off  one  of  his  tiny  arrows.  The  dart  travelled  far 
across  Japan  and  stirred  up  a  mighty  typhoon,  which,  to- 

54 


SAIDAIJI 

gather  with  the  splendid  valour  of  the  warriors  of  Old 
Japan,  resulted  in  the  utter  destruction  of  the  invading 
hosts. 

Behind  an  embroidered  screen  to  the  right  of 
Aizen's  shrine,  rests  one  of  the  greatest  art  treasures  of 
Japan;  nay,  of  its  kind,  one  of  the  world's  masterpieces. 
We  allude  to  the  startlingly  realistic  figure  of  the  priestly 
sculptor,  Kosho,  a  seated  figure  of  that  worthy,  said  to 
have  been  carved  by  his  own  hand. 

Black  with  the  fumes  of  incense,  Kosho's  rugged  face 
gleams  like  the  black-bronzes  of  Yakushiji.  We  see  a 
man  well  advanced  in  years;  a  man  whose  strong,  un- 
handsome, yet  intensely  virile  face,  is  stamped  with  every 
indication  of  austerity  and  power.  This  splendid  por- 
trait, if  not  by  Kosho,  must  have  been  carved  by  one  of 
the  most  eminent  sculptors  of  the  frnkei  School.  Indeed, 
there  is  something  in  the  handling  of  the  strongly  lined 
features,  which  reminds  us  of  the  two  keen-faced  little 
seated  figures  called  statues  of  tJnkei  and  Tankei,  which 
are  now  preserved  in  Nara  Museum.  These  are  said  to 
have  been  self-portraits  of  IJnkei  and  Tankei. 

To  the  left  of  Aizen's  shrine  stands  a  colored  wood  fig- 
ure of  Jizo,  a  work  of  the  Late  Fujiwara  Period  perhaps, 
and  a  large  blackened  figure  of  Fudo,  of  the  same  date, 
which  still  shows  faint  tracings  of  its  original  painting 
and  gilding.  The  malignant  expression  of  this  horror  in 
wood  is  exaggerated  by  the  bloodshot  eyes  and  sharp 
and  protruding  tusks  that  tightly  press  the  lips  above  and 
below. 

In  the  two  small  connecting  rooms  beyond  are  ranged 
many  sculptural  treasures.  Here  sits  (left)  a  large  and 
most  lifelike  portrait  of  one  of  the  early  priests  of  this 

55 


NARA 

foundation.  Far  better  is  the  figure  of  Chiko  Hoshi  op- 
posite, a  figure  seated  upright  in  the  simplest  attitude, 
now  darkened  by  the  fumes  of  incense,  yet  without  doubt 
a  remarkable  likeness  of  that  ancient  worthy.  It  is  tra- 
ditionally attributed  to  the  Tempyo  Era  (729-749),  but  it 
is  without  a  doubt  of  the  Kamakura  School  of  the  thir- 
teenth-fourteenth centuries.  To  the  right,  in  a  black- 
lacquer  shrine,  stands  a  far  older  statue  of  Kwannon,  at- 
tributed to  the  seventh  century  and  said  to  have  come 
from  Korea.  It  reveals  much  of  what  we  are  accustomed 
to  consider  the  best  Korean  style,  both  in  the  pose  of  the 
slim  form,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  somewhat  stiffly 
draped  robes.  There  is  something  reminiscent  of  the 
Yumedono  Kwannon  in  the  features.  A  small  painted 
statuette  of  the  infant  Shotoku  Taishi  (572-621)  of  early 
Kamakura  date;  a  seated  figure  of  Yuima  attributed  to 
Gyoji,  but  greatly  resembling  another  famous  Yuima  by 
Jokei  (1196),  now  preserved  in  Kofukuji  (Nara),  and  two 
fierce  little  Fudos,  complete  the  more  remarkable  sculp- 
tural treasures  of  Saidaiji. 

And  here  is  preserved  a  large  kakemono  representing 
Indra,  a  damaged  silk  painting  attributed  to  the  priest 
Kobo  Daishi  (early  gth  century).  The  god  is  clad  in 
voluminous  robes ;  his  large,  round  head  being  framed  in 
a  circular,  vari-colored  goko.  He  sits  placidly  and  con- 
tentedly upon  the  back  of  a  mild-eyed  beast,  which,  in  its 
length  of  body  and  shortness  of  limb,  resembles  more  a 
dachshund  than  the  sacred  white  elephant,  which  it  is 
doubtless  intended  to  portray.  Near  by,  hung  another 
blackened  silk  painting,  representing  the  Shaka  trinity, 
surrounded  by  Buddha's  sixteen  disciples.  This  faded 
bit  of  color  is  again  traditionally  ascribed  to  Kobo  Daishi 

56 


SAIDAIJI 

(774-834),  but  like  the  former  painting  it  is  more  likely 
a  production  of  the  Early  Kamakura  Period  (1186-1333). 
A  few  good  mandara  are  also  preserved  in  Saidaiji;  the 
most  notable  example  being  a  large  and  brilliantly  col- 
ored kakemono,  embellished  with  gold-leaf,  representing 
Dainichi  Nyorai  (square  panel  at  center  surrounded  by 
nine  smaller  compartments  filled  in  with  the  seated  fig- 
ures of  other  deities.  This  too  may  date  from  the  Early 
Kamakura  Period. 

A  portrait  of  the  priest  Kosho,  in  brown  and  red  vest- 
ments, appears  flat  and  uninteresting  when  one  has  gazed 
at  his  portrait-statue.  Far  better,  indeed,  is  the  portrait 
in  colors  on  silk  of  Jikaku  Daishi,  a  melancholy  old 
priest,  clad  in  a  sage-green  robe,  and  holding  before 
him  the  begging-bowl  and  shakujo.  Both  portraits  are 
instinct  with  the  T'ang  ideal,  and  date  no  doubt  from 
the  end  of  the  Fujiwara  Period  (i2th  century).  But 
the  pictorial  treasure  of  Saidaiji  is  that  series  of  the 
twelve  minor  deities,  traditionally  ascribed  to  the 
painter,  sculptor,  calligraphist,  and  Shingon  mystic, 
Kobo  Daishi  (774-834).  The  entire  series  is  colored  in 
brilliant  but  subdued  pigments  on  faded  silk.  Though 
now  sadly  damaged,  these  paintings  evince  the  hand  of  a 
master  familiar  with  the  methods  of  the  great  Chinese 
painters  of  Middle  T'ang.  Saidaiji's  treasures  in  metal- 
work  are  even  more  famous.  First  and  foremost,  we 
should  mention  a  set  of  gilt-bronze  sharito  or  reliquaries, 
kept  in  silver-gilt  urn-shaped  cases.  The  entire  set  dates 
from  the  Kamakura  Period,  and  it  is  now  placed  among 
the  national  treasures  of  the  empire.  More  beautiful 
still  is  a  Chinese  reliquary  in  gilt-bronze ;  a  superb  piece 
of  metal-work,  showing  a  lotiform  bowl  affixed  to  a 

57 


NARA 

delicate  stem  of  goko 8  form,  which  rises  from  a  like  sym- 
bol. On  the  top  of  the  marvellously  chiselled  lotus- 
shaped  cup  rests  a  globular  rock-crystal  ornamented 
with  four  bands  of  gilt-bronze  flames.  The  design  thus 
indicates  the  Buddhist  emblem  hoshu-no-tama,  the  gem 
which  enables  its  fortunate  possessor  to  gratify  his  every 
wish.  The  bronze  is  no  doubt  a  work  of  Chinese  smiths 
of  the  Sung  Dynasty  and  tradition  would  have  us  be- 
lieve that  it  was  presented  to  Saidaiji  by  the  Emperor 
Kameyama  (1260-1274).  Yet  even  these  beautiful  ob- 
jects must  pale  beside  the  gilt-bronze  sharito  which 
formerly  belonged  to  the  priest  Eison  (isth  century), 
Figure  41.  This  superb  work  of  art  is  modelled  in  the 
form  of  a  lantern,  upon  the  top  rises  a  sharito  of  the 
usual  form.  The  upper  part  to  which  this  is  affixed,  is 
entirely  covered  with  engraved  floral  designs  in  low  re- 
lief. From  the  cover  to  the  rounded  base,  upon  which 
it  stands,  the  lantern  exhibits  one  of  the  richest  and 
most  delicate  examples  of  metal-work  to  be  seen  in  Japan. 
Encircling  it  are  six  curved  openwork  gilt-bronze  panels. 
These  are  embellished  with  the  most  charming  designs 
of  lotus-flowers,  leaves  and  tendrils,  or  of  dragons  wildly 
riding  the  clouds  in  search  of  the  "  mystic  gem." 

Far  earlier  is  the  small  gilt-bronze  Shaka,  contained 
within  a  modern  gold-lacquered  shrine.  Temple  tradi- 
tion would  assign  it  to  the  indefatigable  Kobo  Daishi,  but 
it  is  at  least  two  centuries  before  his  time.  In  fact,  it 
appears  to  be  identical  with  another  small  image  pre- 
served in  one  of  the  temples  at  Uji,9  which  is  attributed 
to  the  latter  part  of  the  seventh  century. 

8  Goko;   a  five-pronged  club,  which,  together  with  the  T6kk8  and  Sanko. 
symbolize  the  irresistible  power  of  prayer,  meditation  and  incantation. 
,»  The  Temple  Shirakawa-mura. 

58 


TOSH6DAIJI 

A  small  seated  figure  of  Yakushi  in  iron  is  especially 
fine  in  pose  and  in  the  handling  of  the  drapery-festoons 
that  fall  in  cascades  below  the  stand  upon  which  it  sits. 
Indeed,  the  rhythmic  adjustment  of  the  folds  reminds 
one  strongly  of  the  style  affected  by  the  Chinese  painters 
of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynasties,  and  at  once  recalls  the 
art  of  the  great  Japanese  artist  Mincho.  Here  too  is 
preserved  the  small  shishi-maru  (sea-lion),  a  silver- 
plated  bowl  said  to  have  been  presented  to  the  temple 
by  the  Emperor  Kameyama  (1250-1274).  Like  Aizen's 
bow  and  arrow,  this  "  sea-lion  gong "  is  supposed  to 
have  the  power  of  repelling  foreign  invaders.  Perhaps 
owing  to  its  efficiency  the  Emperor  Kameyama  was 
enabled  to  present  to  Saidaiji  the  long,  straight  iron 
sword,  said  to  have  been  taken  from  the  hand  of  a  dead 
chieftain  of  the  Mongols  at  the  time  of  their  notable 
defeat  by  Ashikaga  Tokimune,  the  then  Shogun  (1261- 
1284). 

With  a  parting  glance  at  the  richly  colored  Kano 
School  fusuma,  embellished  with  their  floral  and  figure 
designs,  relieved  against  a  background  of  powdered  gold, 
we  left  the  dignified  old  priests  of  Saidaiji  bending  over 
two  gold-lettered  rolls  of  the  Buddhist  scriptures,  writ- 
ten in  the  years  762  and  766  A.  D. 

TOSHODAIJI 

The  ancient  temple  of  Toshodaiji  was  founded  by  the 
Chinese  priest,  Kwakai  Daishi,  or  Kanshin,  in  the  year 
759.  Kanshin  (688-763)  was  established  at  Hui-nan  in 
the  Province  of  Kiang-su,  as  a  teacher  of  one  of  the  more 
mystic  forms  of  Buddhism.  He  was  invited  to  come  to 
Japan  by  certain  Japanese  students,  who  had  gone  to 

59 


NARA 

China  in  733  to  study  under  him.  Kanshin  accepted  the 
proposal,  and  in  754,  after  numerous  severe  trials  —  a 
shipwreck  among  others  —  reached  Japan,  and  entered 
the  temple  of  Todaiji,  Nara.  In  the  year  759,  the  Em- 
peror presented  him  with  a  palace  of  Prince  Tanabe. 
This  Kanshin  turned  into  the  famous  Monastery  of 
Toshodaiji.  At  the  upper  end  of  a  short  avenue  of  pines 
and  maples,  stands  the  Kondo,  Figure  42,  a  red-and-white 
building,  erected  during  the  reign  of  the  Empress  Koken. 
Rectangular  in  shape,  surrounded  by  a  wide  portico,  and 
raised  on  a  platform,  some  three  or  four  feet  from  the 
ground,  this  building  is  characterized  as  one  of  the  archi- 
tectural treasures  of  the  country,  for  it  well  exemplifies 
the  type  of  palace  and  temple  building  in  use  in  China 
during  the  early  T'ang  Dynasty  (7th  century).  Indeed, 
it  is  to  the  Kondo  that  we  must  turn  if  we  would  study 
the  architectural  construction  of  the  architects  of  the 
mainland  at  this  early  date.  For,  of  the  numerous  tem- 
ples, shrines  and  palaces  of  T'ang  date,  known  to  have 
existed  in  China,  hardly  a  vestige  remains  to  us  today. 

The  best  view  of  the  building  is  obtained  to  the  right  of 
the  bronze  lotus  fountain.  Here  one  sees  to  advantage 
the  graceful  tiled  roof  and  the  queer  finial  ornaments 
called  shibi,  which  rise  at  each  end  of  the  topmost  line. 
This  ornament,  here  highly  conventionalized,  consists 
of  superimposed  horses'  heads,  which  diminish  in  size 
toward  the  curved  tip.  The  design  is  also  seen  in  one 
of  the  painted  panels  of  the  "  beetle's-wing  shrine"  at 
Horyuji,  as  indeed  upon  the  roof  of  the  shrine  itself. 

The  interior  of  the  Kondo  contains  a  magnificent 
panelled  roof,  upon  which  faint  traces  of  its  original  floral 
decorations  are  still  visible,  Figure  43.  But  the  building 

60 


T6SHODAIJI 

is  better  known  on  account  of  the  three  colossal  dry- 
lacquer  (kanshitsu)  deities,  whose  immense  golden  forms 
raise  themselves  high  aloft  towards  the  murky  shadows 
of  the  blackened  roof.  In  the  centre,  on  a  superb 
lotus-pedestal,  sits  a  giant  figure  of  Rushana  Buddha, 
Figure  44.  The  statue  leans  slightly  forward;  the  legs 
are  crossed  in  the  hieratic  mode,  the  left  hand  open  upon 
its  knee,  the  right  slightly  raised  in  the  attitude  of  bene- 
diction. The  face  is  full  but  somewhat  flattened;  the 
nose  well  shaped,  the  mouth  full  but  well  cut.  The  eyes 
are  very  large,  elongated  but  so  nearly  closed  that 
Buddha,  like  Jove,  appears  to  nod.  One  might  indeed 
characterize  Rushana's  pose  as  one  of  sleepy  introspec- 
tion. The  plump  and  well-fed  frame  of  this  drowsy 
meditator  is  covered  by  an  ample  robe,  whose  soft  folds 
are  lightly  rendered  and  most  naturally  disposed.  Be- 
hind Rushana  rises  a  richly  gilt  mandorla  decorated  with 
relief  designs  of  innumerable  little  Buddhas.  Temple 
tradition  ascribes  this  splendid  figure  to  the  priestly  ar- 
tist Shitaku,  a  Chinese  of  Shantung  Province,  and  a 
Buddhist  missionary,  who  followed  Kanshin  through  all 
the  trials  and  dangers  of  his  long  voyage  to  Japan. 

To  Shitaku  also,  or  possibly  to  the  priest  Myoho  is 
attributed  the  gilt  dry-lacquer  figure  of  Yakushi,  which 
stands  to  the  right  of  the  main  deity,  Figure  45.  In  the 
dignified  pose  the  well  modelled  limbs  and  graceful  ar- 
rangement of  drapery,  we  have  here  a  close  rival  of  the 
somnolent  Rushana.  Unfortunately,  the  figure  ap- 
pears somewhat  top-heavy,  owing  to  the  disappearance 
of  the  great  crisp  lotus-petals,  which  formerly  sprang 
from  the  loti-form  pedestal  upon  which  it  stands.  Again, 
to  the  left  of  Rushana  towers  the  gilt  dry-lacquer  statue 

61 


NARA 

of  Kwannon,  Figure  46.  The  name  of  the  author  of  this 
third  giant  is  unknown;  and  even  temple  tradition  fails 
us  in  this  case.  But  we  can  see  at  a  glance  that  the 
figure  is  of  the  same  date  as  its  companions,  that  it  too 
represents  an  example  of  the  sculptural  art  of  Japan  at- 
tributable no  doubt  to  the  commencement  of  the  Second 
Nara  Epoch,  749-793. 

The  three  golden  colossi  are  well  protected  by  the 
vociferating  figures  of  the  Four  Heavenly  Kings.  These, 
in  full  armour,  with  flashing  eye  and  menacing  gesture, 
seem  to  repel  the  profaner  of  this  ancient  sanctuary. 
Hard,  indeed,  is  it  for  us  to  realize  that  their  long  watch 
has  extended  over  a  period  of  some  1200  years. 

Immediately  behind  the  Kondo  stands  the  Kodo,  a 
relic  of  the  Palace  Heijo-kyu-den,  of  the  Emperor 
Shomu's  day  (8th  century).  In  a  corner  to  the  right  of 
the  interior,  stand  the  great  pile  of  columns,  which  orig- 
inally supported  the  roof  of  Prince  Tanabe's  palace. 
Indeed,  certain  of  the  columns  which  now  support  the 
roof  of  the  present  structure,  Figure  47,  belong  to  this 
early  eighth  century  building. 

The  main  deity  of  this  temple  is  a  Miroku  in  gilt-wood. 
This  statue,  Figure  48,  rather  heavy  in  style,  is  attributed 
to  the  Chinese  (T'ang)  priest,  Gunporiki,  who  flourished 
toward  the  latter  part  of  the  eighth  century.  The  figure 
sits  upon  a  gilt-lotus  stand,  its  well  rounded  form  thrown 
into  strong  relief  by  an  extremely  rich  mandorla  that 
rises  to  a  curved  point  high  above  it.  This  nimbus,  with 
its  openwork  design  of  gilt-wood  angels,  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  ornaments  of  the  kind  to  be  seen  in  the 
country. 

On  either  side  of  this  deity,  stand  the  black-lacquer 

62 


T6SHODAIJI 

mikoshi,  in  which  shrines  containing  relics  and  boxes 
containing  the  Buddhist  ritual  are  deposited  in  times  of 
festival  or  during  periods  devoted  to  religious  discussion. 
The  two  black-laquer  rostra  near  by  are  pulpits  in  which 
sit  the  rival  debaters. 

A  pair  of  painted  wood  statues  of  Jikoku  and  Tamon- 
ten  would  seem  to  date  from  the  Ashikaga  Period  (i6th 
century).  But  to  the  Kamakura  Period  perhaps  belong 
the  great  temple  drum-stands,  embellished  with  relief 
designs  of  dragons  and  hoho-birds,  disporting  amidst 
the  clouds.  These  last  evince  most  strongly  the  influ- 
ence of  the  T'ang  art  of  China,  and  are  perhaps  copies 
of  drum-stands  of  eighth  century  date. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  hall  (right  of  entrance)  stands 
Monju's  lion,  in  painted  wood, —  the  god  vanished  at  the 
period  of  the  Revolution  of  1868  —  and  beside  it,  looking 
as  sad  and  forlorn  as  one  could  well  expect,  stand 
Monju's  faithful  attendants.  Poor  Yuima  is  utterly 
abandoned  to  grief,  and  the  disconsolate  Jizo  gazes 
towards  Monju's  empty  stand  with  somewhat  more  than 
his  accustomed  vacuity  of  expression. 

The  near-by  Kaisando  has  lost  its  greatest  treasures, 
which  are  now  on  exhibition  in  Nara  Museum.  The 
first  is  a  remarkable  memorial  statue  of  the  founder  of 
the  temple,  Kanshin,  Figure  49.  The  statue  is  modelled 
in  lacquer  and  papier-mache,  and  reveals  the  blind  old 
priest  seated,  his  hands  clasped  together,  palm  upon 
palm,  the  thumbs  pressed  together.  His  priestly  robe 
of  red  and  black  is  simply  but  naturally  indicated.  The 
closely  shaven  head  is  large  and  well  shaped.  The 
myriad  of  little  wrinkles  that  cover  forehead  and  face, 
and  the  shrunken  cords  about  the  neck  show  Kanshin  to 

63 


NARA 

have  been  well  on  in  years  when  Shitaku  modelled  him 
(8th  century).  A  striking  example  of  the  sculpture  of 
the  Kamakura  School  is  the  gross  painted-wood  statue 
of  Kinkara,  Figure  50.  It  may  date  to  about  the  thir- 
teenth century.  The  famous  gilt-bronze  reliquary  pre- 
sented to  this  foundation  by  the  famous  Shogun  Yori- 
tomo  (1147-1199),  and  illustrated  in  Figure  51,  is  a 
worthy  rival  of  the  Chinese  bronzes  preserved  so  jeal- 
ously in  the  apartments  at  Saidaiji.  Like  them  too,  it 
appears  to  be  a  production  of  the  Sung  Dynasty  of 
China. 

Toshodaiji  boasts  one  famous  painting,  or  series  of 
paintings,  and  this  the  five  picture-rolls  illustrating  the 
life  of  Kanshin,  her  founder,  Figure  52.  These  rolls,  like 
others  of  their  kind,  are  very  long;  being  approximately 
50  feet  by  i  foot.  We  have  already  seen  that  picture- 
rolls  were  greatly  in  vogue  during  the  Kamakura  Period, 
when  the  form  had  well-nigh  ousted  all  others.  Accord- 
ing to  an  inscription  found  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  rolls 
the  painting  in  question  was  executed  for  a  certain  noble 
of  Kamakura  by  the  otherwise  unknown  artist,  Rengyo, 
"  upon  a  certain  day  in  the  8th  month  of  the  6th  year  of 
Ei-nin  "  (1298).  Our  illustration  shows  Kwanshin,  then 
but  a  boy  of  fourteen  years  of  age,  going  with  his  father 
to  enter  upon  his  novitiate  under  the  famous  Buddhist 
priest  Chi-yun.  The  figures  are  badly  drawn,  but  the 
general  style  seems  to  follow  the  influence  of  the  Sung 
artists  of  China.  Indeed,  Renygo  may  be  placed  among 
the  Japanese  artists  of  the  Takuma  School. 

T6DAIJI 

Along  the   slopes  of  the  well-wooded  hills   beyond 

64 


Fig.  41.  Reliquary.  Bronze, 
gilt.  Said  to  have  belonged  to 
the  Abbot  Eison  (13th  Cen- 
tury). Chinese,  Sung  Dynasty 
(?).  Saidaiji,  Nara. 

"Nippon    Seikwa." 


Fig.   42.      Kondo. 


Erected   759   A.  D. 
Toshodaiji,   Nara. 


Fig.   43.     Interior     of    the     Same. 


Fig.   44.     Rushana.     Lacquer,  gilt. 

Attributed     to    the    Priest    Shitaku. 

Eighth   Century.       Toshodaiji,    Nara. 


Fig.  45.  Yakushi.  Lacquer, 
gilt.  Attributed  to  the  Priest 
Shitaku.  Eighth  Century. 

Toshodaiji,   Nara. 


Fig.  46.  Kwannon(San-ju).  Lac- 
quer, gilt.  Artist  Unknown.  Eighth 
Century.  Toshodaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.   47.     Interior  of  the  Kodo.    Eighth 
Century.     Toshodaiji,  Nara. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  48.  Miroku.  Wood,  gilt.  At- 
tributed to  the  Priest  Gunporiki. 
Eighth  Century.  Kodo,  Toshodaiji, 
Nara. 


TODAIJI 

Kasuga-no-Miya  and  the  Hachiman  Shrine,  stand  four 
detached  wooden  buildings  belonging  to  the  Todaiji 
group.  Of  these,  the  huge  Daibutsuden  is  the  chief  tem- 
ple, though  the  Sangwatsudo  (Hokkedo)  is  at  once  the 
oldest  and  in  many  ways  the  most  interesting. 

Originally  known  as  Konshoji,  this  building  was 
erected  in  the  year  733,  by  the  Buddhist  priest  Roben, 
first  Abbot  of  Todaiji.  In  the  year  752  it  was  incor- 
porated in  the  Todaiji.  The  building,  Figure  53,  orig- 
inally consisted  of  a  long,  low,  barn-like  structure,  whose 
thick  red  columns  and  solid  beams  supported  a  heavy 
tiled  roof.  During  the  early  years  of  the  Kamakura 
Shogunate  (1199-1200),  the  front  was  enlarged  (left), 
a  Devotional  Hall  being  added. 

Like  Toshodaiji,  the  interior  contains  a  heavy  panelled 
ceiling,  upon  which  traces  of  color  decoration  are  still 
faintly  visible.  In  the  earlier  half  of  the  building,  the 
huge  red  columns  swell  slightly  at  center,  reminding  one 
of  Doric  shafts.  The  great  brackets  are  solid.  Pon- 
derous arched  supports,  grouped  in  threes  at  each  of  the 
four  corners,  serve  to  keep  in  place  the  heavy  tiled  roof, 
with  its  gently  curved  and  overhanging  eaves.  In  con- 
trast, the  innumerable  superimposed  supports  made  use 
of  by  the  Kamakura  architect  give  the  impression  that 
the  additions  to  the  building  have  been  executed  hastily. 

The  interior  of  the  Sangwatsudo,  Figure  54,  rivals  that 
of  the  Kondo  of  Toshodaiji,  for  here,  ranged  in  order 
upon  a  high  altar  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  gigantic 
main  deity,  stand  superb  examples  of  the  sculptural  art 
of  the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749).  The  main  deity  is 
the  Kwannon,  Figure  55  —  a  colossal  deity  in  gilt  dry- 
lacquer,  measuring  some  12  feet  in  height,  without  its 

65 


NARA 

stand.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  work  of  the  founder 
of  Todaiji,  the  priest  Roben  (688-773),  but  it  appears 
rather  to  be  a  work  of  the  Tempyo-Tempei  Eras  (749- 
767)  ;  since,  in  both  face  and  form  one  finds  the  heaviness 
and  coarseness  of  the  decline  that  set  in  toward  the  end 
of  Shomu's  reign.  Kwannon  is  backed  by  a  light  and 
exceedingly  graceful  openwork  mandorla,  which  is 
decorated  with  a  delicate  vine-leaf  design  en  arabesque. 
The  design  has  wandered  far,  for  it  preserves  a  Greco- 
Bactrian  type,  well  known  in  Chinese  art  of  the  Northern 
Wei  Dynasty.  The  lofty  forehead  of  the  image  is  en- 
circled by  a  band  of  semiprecious  stones,  and  some  2600 
round  and  oat-shaped  beads  ornament  a  delicate  sil- 
ver crown,  which  rises  high  upon  its  head.  Here  and 
there  among  these  beads,  hangs  one  of  the  queer  claw- 
shaped  pendants  of  protohistoric  days,  called  magatama.™ 

If  we  except  the  terra-cotta  figures  of  the  Imperial 
Mounds, —  the  haniwa, —  Japan  possesses  but  a  single 
statue  upon  which  bead  forms,  such  as  these,  are  indi- 
cated. We  refer  to  the  sadly  battered  wooden  statue,  at- 
tributed to  the  early  years  of  the  seventh  century,  now 
exhibited  in  the  Imperial  Museum  of  Tokyo. 

The  polychrome  clay  figures  to  the  right  and  left  of 
Kwannon  represent  Surya  and  Chandra.  Both  stand 
some  thirteen  feet  in  height. 

Beneath  the  long  and  clinging  robe  Surya's  full  form  is 
well  defined,  Figure  56.  The  face  is  pale;  for  the  rose- 
color  of  the  softly  rounded  cheek  has  well-nigh  disap- 
peared. The  delicate  hands  are  held  before  the  breast, 
with  fingers,  tip  to  tip,  as  if  in  fervent  prayer.  In  the 

10  The  materials,  as  far  as  we  could  see,  consisted  of  crystal,  carnelian, 
jasper  (green),  jadeite,  amethyst,  and  a  black  stone  (steatite?)  or  lacquer. 

66 


T6DAIJI 

majesty  of  its  pose,  as  in  the  calm  purity  of  its  expres- 
sion, this  beautiful  statue  proves  to  what  sublime  heights 
the  artists  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch  could  soar  when 
inspired  by  Greco-Buddhist  feeling  for  anatomical  ex- 
pression. 

Guarding  the  corners  of  the  long  dais  stand  polychrome 
figures  of  the  Shi-Tenno,  or  four  deva  kings.  These  re- 
markable figures,  though  apparently  resembling  the  solar 
and  lunar  deities  in  technique,  are  made  in  an  entirely 
different  manner.  For,  in  contradistinction  to  clay  the 
Shi-Tenno  are  treated  in  the  hari-nuki  style,  or  dry-lac- 
quer over  papier-mache.  Temple  tradition  would  assign 
them  to  the  Korean  priest,  Gyogi  (d.  749),  of  whom  we 
have  already  had  occasion  to  speak.  But  history  tells 
us  that  in  the  year  741,  that  zealous  convert  to  Buddhism, 
the  Emperor  Shomu,  commanded  four  such  statues  to 
be  made  and  a  certain  Buddhist  sutra  to  be  fluttered  in 
the  breeze,  "  that  peace  might  be  secured  throughout  the 
Empire,  and  to  induce  the  '  Four  Deva  Kings  '  to  protect 
the  land  and  the  people."  As  Tajima  points  out,11  the 
four  figures  under  discussion  are  without  doubt  the  fig- 
ures referred  to  in  the  historical  document.  One  of  the 
four,  Komoku-Ten,  Guardian  of  the  Western  Horizon, 
is  illustrated  in  Figure  57.  Yet  these  four  appear  to  be 
weak  and  feeble  beside  the  energetic  clay  figure  which 
glares  from  the  dim  shadows  of  a  shrine  behind  them. 
This  statue,  a  ferocious  and  terrifying  Vajrapani,  Figure 
58,  approaches  far  nearer  the  ideal "  guardian  deity."  In- 
deed, it  is  full  of  the  T'ang  (7th  century)  ideal,  as  evinced 
in  the  supermuscular  guardian  deities  carved  in  the  solid 
rock  upon  the  outside  of  the  Lung-men  Caves  in  Honan, 

11  Tajima,   "  Selected  Relics."     Vol.  XI, 

67 


NARA 

China.12    This  figure  represents  another  supreme  expres- 
sion of  the  short  but  peerless  First  Nara  Epoch  (708- 

749)- 

Well-nigh  lost  among  these  splendid  treasures  of  a  by- 
gone day,  are  two  good  examples  of  Kamakura  sculpture. 
These  are  a  placid  Jizo  in  colored  wood  (right),  a  figure 
which  looks  for  all  the  world  like  the  portrait  of  some 
early  dignitary  of  the  Buddhist  Church,  and  a  Fudo,  a 
horror  of  realism,  that  reminds  one  of  the  fearful  Shinshas 
and  Kongo-Taishis  of  this  School.  Not  improbably  the 
two  date  from  the  period  when  the  Devotional  Hall  was 
added  (1199-1200).  From  this  latter  hall  one  may  see 
to  advantage  the  beautiful  triple  tangai  or  "  sunburst " 
in  blue  and  gold,  which  is  attached  to  the  panelled  ceiling 
immediately  above  the  head  of  the  golden  Kwannon. 

The  Devotional  Hall  itself,  apart  from  its  construc- 
tional interests,  contains  a  superb  bronze  koro,  or  incense- 
burner,  dated  in  the  fourth  year  of  Joky 5  (1688),  and 
without  a  doubt  attributable  to  one  of  the  members  of 
the  Jiyemon  family,  so  famous  as  bronze-founders  and 
workers  in  metal  upon  a  large  scale. 

The  lofty  Nigwatsudo,  to  the  left,  was  founded  in  752, 
though  the  present  building  is  of  comparatively  recent 
date.  But  the  view  from  its  terrace  is  well  worth  the 
climb  up  a  steep  flight  of  stone  steps  to  the  right.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  road  stands  a  small  temple, 
which  may  be  called  the  Memorial  Chapel  of  the  kaisan 
or  founder  of  Todaiji,  the  priest,  Roben.  This  Robendo 
contains  but  a  single  work  of  art,  and  that  a  wooden 
statue  of  the  founder  himself.  Roben  was  a  native  of 

12  Chavannes.  "Voyage  arche"ologique  dans  la  Chine  septentrionale, " 
1909. 

68 


Fig.  49.  Memorial-Statue  of  the 
Abbot  Kwanshin.  Eighth  Century. 
Kaisando,  Toshodaiji,  Nara. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  50.  Kinkara.  Wood,  paint- 
ed. School  of  Unkei  (early  13th 
Century).  Toshodaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.   52.     Picture-roll.          Colours       on 

Paper.      Life    of    Kwanshin.      By    Rengyo 

(1298).  Toshodaiji,    Nara. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  51.  Sarira  Stupa. 
Bronze,  gilt.  Said  to  have  b^en 
presented  by  the  Shogun  Yori- 
tomo.  Chinese,  Sung  Dynas- 
ty (?).  Toshodaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.  53.  Sangwatsudo.  Erected 
bv  Roben  in  733;  Enlarged  1199- 
1200.  Todaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.  54.     Interior  of  Same.     Eighth 
Century.  "Nippon    Seikwa." 


Fig.   55.     Kwannon.     Lacquer,  gilt. 
Attributed  to  the  Priest  Roben    (8th 


Century) . 


Sangwatsudo,   Nara. 


Fig.   56.     Brahma.       Clay.       First 
Nara  Epoch,   708-749. 

Sangwatsudo,  Nara. 


Fig.  57.  Komokuten. 
Dry  Lacquer.  Date  about 
741. 

Sangwatsudo,   Nara, 


TODAIJI 

Shiga,  in  the  Province  of  Omi,  but  his  ancestors,  like 
so  many  of  the  great  priests  and  artists  of  this  day,  were 
not  improbably  Koreans.  When  he  was  but  two  years 
of  age  an  eagle  swooped  down  upon  him  and  deposited 
him  in  front  of  the  Kasuga  Shrine,  Nara.  This  incident 
naturally  resulted  in  his  adoption  by  the  high-priest  of 
Kasuga,  who  brought  him  up  in  the  temple.  When  the 
great  Monastery  of  Todaiji  was  built  by  command  of 
the  Emperor  Shomu,  Roben  was  installed  as  its  first 
Abbot. 

The  statue  under  discussion,  Figure  59,  shows  us  that 
Roben  was  a  man  built  upon  powerful  lines.  The  closely 
shaven  head  is  large,  the  forehead  covered  with  a  net- 
work of  fine  wrinkles  and  three  heavy  lines.  The  eyes 
too  are  large,  and  over  them  the  lids  fall  heavily.  The 
ears  are  unnaturally  long;  the  nose  curved  and  finely 
modelled.  The  lips  are  well-cut,  the  lines  about  the  cor- 
ners of  the  firm  mouth  marvellously  rendered.  Roben's 
hawk-like  head  is  set  upon  a  short,  thick  neck.  About 
the  broad  and  bony  frame,  the  voluminous  folds  of  the 
priestly  robe  are  simply  yet  naturally  disposed.  The  un- 
known artist  who  executed  this  lifelike  statue  may  well 
take  rank  with  the  modeller  of  Dozen,  of  Kanshin,  and 
cf  Gi-en. 

The  most  famous  temple  of  the  Todaiji  group,  though 

itself  the  latest  in  construction,  is  the  Daibutsuden,  or 

"  Hall  of  Great  Buddha,"  Figure  60.    And  this  should  not 

appear  as  a  matter  of  surprise,  when  we  reflect  that  so 

rruch  of  the  early  history  of  art  in  Japan  may  be  said 

::.ter  around  the  colossal  bronze  image  of  Rushana, 

.ief  deity.    For,  with  the  possible  exception  of  clay 

woodwork,  ''he  various  branches  of  the  arts   can 

69 


NARA 

hardly  be  said  to  have  been  established  upon  a  firm  basis 
until  the  Emperor  Shomu  commanded  this  giant  to  be 
cast,  and  planned  a  great  consecration  service  to  do  it 
honor.  The  preparations  for  this  consecration  service 
and  for  that  of  Shomu's  first  anniversary  (728)  resulted 
in  the  establishment  of  various  art  bureaus.  Thus  we 
read  that  a  bureau  for  color  decoration  was  started,  and 
another  for  the  painting  of  portable  shrines.  The  Im- 
perial Art  Bureau,  now  numbered  as  many  as  130  first- 
class  artists.  For,  Buddhism  had  made  rapid  progress 
since  the  days  of  Shotoku-Taishi.  In  the  year  622,  Bud- 
dhism in  Japan  could  boast  of  but  46  temples  or  monas- 
teries. Under  the  Empress  Jito  (690-696),  she  could 
point  to  some  545  buildings  consecrated  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  Indian  creed,  but  with  the  coming  to  the 
throne  of  the  fanatical  converts,  Shomu  and  his  Consort, 
Komyo,  everything  possible  was  done  to  further  the 
spread  of  the  foreign  faith.  New  temples,  monasteries, 
and  nunneries  were  founded,  and  for  these  great  em- 
broidered Buddhas  were  made  and  giant  deities  carved 
in  wood  or  cast  in  metal.  Indeed,  as  Murdock  points 
out  in  his  admirable  "  History  of  Japan,"  enough  metal 
was  consumed  in  the  casting  of  the  Great  Buddha  and 
Bell  of  Todaiji  to  have  kept  Japan's  newly  established 
mint  going  for  a  full  half  century :  "  And  Daibutsu  and 
bell  together,  although  dwarfing  all  individual  rivals  by 
the  massiveness  of  their  proportions,  represented  but  a 
mere  fraction  of  the  metallic  wealth  of  the  Buddhist 
Church." 

In  the  year  735,  that  is,  during  the  Emperor  Shomu's 
reign,  Japan  was  ravaged  by  the  outbreak  of  a  fearful 
pestilence,  probably  smallpox.  Everything  possible  was 

70 


T6DAIJI 

done  to  check  this  scourge.  Prayers  were  offered  in 
Shinto  and  Buddhist  temples  alike,  and  the  Emperor 
Shomu  commanded  that  a  large  monastery  should  be 
erected  in  each  of  the  provinces,  and  a  seven-story 
pagoda  built  by  each  local  government.  He,  himself, 
caused  designs  to  be  drawn  up  for  the  colossal  statue  of 
Rushana,  which  we  now  know  as  the  Dai-butsu  or 
"  Great  Buddha  "  of  Nara. 

Priestly  ingenuity  had  much  to  do  with  the  choice  of 
Rushana,  a  comparatively  unimportant  deity.  For  one 
might  rather  have  expected  that  Shomu's  Buddha  would 
have  represented  Shaka,  the  Buddha  himself. 

But  the  primitive  Shinto  cult  had  still  to  be  reckoned 
with,  for  Shomu  felt  that  he  could  not  erect  such  a  monu- 
ment to  the  foreign  faith  without  first  consulting  the  an- 
cient oracle  of  the  Sun-Goddess  at  Yamada  (Ise  Prov- 
ince). So  Gyogi,  maker  of  the  great  black-bronzes  of 
Yakushiji,  was  despatched  with  a  valuable  present  in- 
tended for  the  priestess  in  charge  of  the  shrine  of  the 
Imperial  Ancestor,  the  Sun-Goddess,  Amaterasu.  And 
not  only  was  the  oracle  interpreted  as  favorable  to  the 
project,  but  the  Sun-Goddess,  Amaterasu,  appeared  to 
Shomu  in  a  dream,  and  said :  "  The  Sun  is  Rushana," 
thus  identifying,  or  rather  merging,  a  Shinto  and  Bud- 
dhist deity.  Thus  Shomu  satisfied  at  once  the  religious 
scruples  of  the  lower  classes  (Shinto)  and  raised  the 
foreign  faith  (Buddhism)  to  a  position  of  influence  to 
which  it  would  never  again  obtain  during  the  whole 
course  of  its  history  in  Japan. 

The  ready  acquiescence  of  the  Sun-Goddess,  and  that 
opportune  dream  of  the  Emperor,  seemed  a  most  satis- 
factory solution  of  what  had  appeared  at  first  as  a  some- 


NARA 

what  difficult  situation.  In  point  of  fact,  it  was  disas- 
trous to  the  peace  and  purity  of  the  Shinto  cult,  for  by 
this  means  the  greedy  Buddhist  priest  was  enabled  to 
worm  himself  into  many  a  Shinto  shrine  and  to  fatten 
upon  its  revenues.  Indeed,  this  was  the  beginning  of 
what  is  today  called  Ryobu  Shinto. 

In  the  year  743,  Shomu  ordered  contributions  to  be 
levied  toward  the  erection  of  the  statue  of  Rushana. 
Gyogi,  the  Korean,  was  sent  out  to  collect  them.  In  744 
the  Emperor  personally  directed  the  construction  of  the 
first  model,  though  this  was  abandoned  long  before  it 
was  completed.  From  747-749  seven  unsuccessful  at- 
tempts were  made  to  cast  the  image.  The  Emperor  him- 
self died  in  748,  without  having  seen  the  work  completed. 
Finally  in  despair  they  had  to  call  on  the  bronze-worker, 
Kimi-maru,  grandson  of  a  Korean  immigrant,  and  in  749, 
the  great  image  was  successfully  finished.  The  method 
pursued  by  the  Korean  artist  is  unusual.  For  the  Dai- 
butsu  is  not  cast  in  a  hollow  shell,  as  is  commonly  the 
custom.  On  the  contrary  this  great  figure  was  composed 
of  a  number  of  plates  constructed  in  the  following  man- 
ner. The  walls  of  the  mould  were  built  up  as  the  lower 
part  of  the  casting  cooled,  at  the  rate  of  a  foot  at  a  time, 
there  having  thus  been  forty-one  independent  layers; 
for  the  head  and  neck,  some  12  feet  in  height,  were  cast 
in  a  single  shell.  The  plates  which  go  to  make  up 
this  giant  statue  measure  some  ten  by  twelve  inches, 
and  each  is  six  inches  thick.  The  great  statue  of  Ru- 
shana is  seated  upon  a  lotiform  pedestal,  whose  bronze 
leaves  are  decorated  with  engraved  designs  of  Buddhist 
deities.  These  designs,  more  especially  the  figures  of 
the  bodhisattva,  are  of  unusual  interest  to  the  student 

72 


T6DAIJI 

of  the  early  art  of  Japan.  For  they  provide,  perhaps,  the 
one  single  example  of  artistic  achievement  in  this  genre 
which  has  survived  to  us  from  the  Tempyo  Period  (728- 

749). 

The  total  height  of  the  Buddha  is  53  1-2  feet.  In  its 
construction  the  bronze-founders  made  use  of  some  500 
pounds  (Japanese)  of  gold,  16,827  pounds  of  tin,  1954 
pounds  of  mercury,  and  986,180  pounds  of  copper,  besides 
a  certain  amount  of  lead.  The  total  weight  of  the  figure 
is  somewhere  between  550  and  560  tons. 

At  the  present  day,  with  the  unfortunate  exception  of 
the  head,  we  may  admire  the  selfsame  figure,  which  the 
Korean,  Kimi-maru,  cast  in  749.  And  if  one  may  judge 
by  the  beauty  of  the  pose,  by  the  splendid  handling  of 
the  folds  of  the  robe,  and  by  the  charming  engraved  fig- 
ure designs  which  decorate  the  leaves  of  its  pedestal,  the 
original  head  of  the  Great  Buddha  was  of  great  beauty. 

Rushana's  head  disappeared  in  one  of  the  fires  which 
played  havoc  with  this  temple.  In  fact,  this  "  Hall  of 
Great  Buddha  "  dates  only  from  1708.  Yet,  it  is  by 
far  the  greatest  structure  of  its  kind  in  Japan,  for  it 
measures  some  156  feet  in  height;  290  feet  across  the 
front,  and  170  feet  in  depth.  One  of  the  worst  visita- 
tions suffered  by  this  great  edifice  was  the  fire  of  1180, 
which  completely  destroyed  it.  Yet,  by  1195  a  new  tem- 
ple was  dedicated.  And  three  years  after  the  fire  Ru- 
shana  could  boast  a  new,  though  less  handsome  head, 
since  it  was  cast  by  Chin  Wakei,  a  Chinese  artist  of  the 
Southern  Sung  Period  (1127-1280).  But  again  disaster 
overtook  Daibutsu,  another  terrific  conflagration  swept 
the  Great  Hall,  and  the  hideous  head  which  now 
mars  what  was  perhaps  one  of  the  grandest  achieve- 

73 


NARA 

ments  of  Tempyo  art,  is  said  to  date  from  the  sixteenth 
century. 

The  graceful  Bronze  Lantern,  Figure  61,  which  stands 
in  front  of  the  Daibutsuden,  is  octagonal  in  shape.  It 
rests  upon  a  triple  bronze  entablature,  which  is  supported 
in  turn  by  a  heavy  octagonal  bronze  shaft.  The  bronze 
roof  is  surmounted  by  the  "  Wishing-Gem."  Four  shut- 
ters of  the  lantern  are  decorated  with  relief  designs  of 
gandharva  or  musical  angels,  and  the  remaining  four 
with  designs  of  leaping  lions.  The  designs  are  filled  in 
with  floral  sprays,  and  the  whole  stands  out  in  high  relief 
against  a  rich  lattice-work  frame. 

This  grand  piece  of  bronze-work  is  undoubtedly  to  be 
attributed,  at  least  in  part,  to  the  reign  of  Shomu  (724- 
748).  It  was  repaired  in  1101,  and  perhaps  again  by 
Chin  Wakei,  the  Sung  artist,  about  1183.  Two  of  the 
eight  shutters  are  said  to  have  been  stolen  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  these  were  cast  again,  by  a  descendant 
of  Chin  Wakei,  in  1669.  As  it  stands  today,  this  beauti- 
ful lantern  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  metal-work  that 
has  survived  to  us  from  Tempyo  days.  With  the  far 
later  Daibutsu  of  Kamakura,  it  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  works  of  art  to  be  seen  in  Japan. 

To  the  south  of  the  Daibutsuden  stands  the  colossal 
wooden  Nan-dai-mon  or  "  Great  Southern  Gate."  It 
was  erected  in  the  year  752,  and  has  survived  the  numer- 
ous fires  which  from  time  to  time  have  destroyed  the 
Monastery  and  the  dependent  buildings  of  the  Todaiji. 
Behind  a  high  railing,  on  the  inner  side  of  the  gate,  stand 
two  stone  lions.  These  are  attributed  to  the  Sung  artist 
Chin  Wakei,  who  came  to  Japan  in  the  year  1183.  They 
are  far  more  likely  to  have  been  the  work  of  the  Chinese 

74 


TODAIJI 

artist  of  the  early  Tang  Dynasty  (yth  century).  They 
might,  indeed,  have  stepped  from  the  niches  of  the  Lung- 
men  Caves  in  Honan,  China. 

On  the  outer  side  of  Nan-dai-mon  stand  two  wooden 
figures  of  gigantic  size.  Placed  here  at  the  time  of  the 
rebuilding  of  the  Daibutsuden  (1190-1203)  they  represent 
Narayana,  an  incarnation  of  Brahma,  and  Vajrapani,  an 
incarnation  of  Indra,  each  figure  measuring  26  feet  3 
inches  in  height. 

The  image  of  Narayana,  Figure  62,  is  attributed,  on 
very  substantial  foundation,  to  the  most  famous  sculptor 
of  the  Kamakura  School,  Onkei,  son  and  greatest  pupil 
of  Kokei.  Onkei,  indeed,  came  of  a  long  line  of  sculp- 
tors, being  sixth  in  descent  from  the  great  Nara  sculptor, 
Jocho,  who  flourished  about  1020-1053.  As  to  Onkei, 
both  the  date  of  his  birth  and  the  day  of  his  death  are 
at  present  unknown.  But  this  much  is  certain,  Onkei 
lived  first  in  Kyoto ;  but,  after  his  appointment  as  "  dai- 
busshi "  or  great  Buddhist  sculptor  of  Todaiji,  he  re- 
moved to  Nara.  Early  in  the  thirteenth  century  he  was 
summoned  to  Kamakura,  where,  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Shogun  Sanetomo  (1204-1219)  he  founded  the  so- 
called  Kamakura  School  of  Sculpture.  Thus  Onkei 
probably  carved  this  great  Narayana  about  1190-1203, 
when  the  Todaiji  was  rebuilt. 

The  other  great  red  image,  that  of  Vajrapani,  Figure 
63,  is  similarly  attributed  on  equally  good  authority,  it 
would  seem,  to  another  pupil  of  Kokei,  the  sculptor, 
Kwaikei.  Of  this  artist,  as  with  Onkei,  very  little  is 
known.  His  name  appears  on  but  one  of  his  works,  and 
then  along  with  those  of  many  other  craftsmen.  Thus, 
we  know  that  he  assisted  in  the  carving  of  another 

75 


NARA 

famous  possession  of  Todaiji,  the  image  of  Hachiman, 
Figure  64.  This  work  was  finished  in  the  year  1202. 
In  contradistinction  to  the  commonly  more  virile  style 
of  Unkei,  the  sculptor  Kwaikei  is  popularly  supposed  to 
have  inherited  the  tender  style  of  Jocho  (d.  1053).  Yet, 
Kwaikei,  with  all  the  tender  treatment  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  lavish  upon  his  subjects,  added  thereto 
much  of  Unkei's  strength  and  grandeur.  In  the  seated 
figure  of  Hachiman,  Figure  64,  we  see  him  in  the  former 
mood ;  whereas,  in  the  gigantic  Vajrapani,  he  reveals  the 
full  power  of  the  virile  Kamakura  School,  to  which  he 
may  be  said  to  belong.  We  further  read  that  Kwaikei, 
or  An-ami,  as  he  is  sometimes  called,  was  further  en- 
gaged by  the  Shogun  Yoritomo  to  assist  in  the  rebuild- 
ing, or  rather  redecorating  of  the  Todaiji,  which  had 
been  destroyed  during  the  great  civil  war  of  his  day. 
Thus  Kwaikei  too  undoubtedly  flourished  at  the  end  of 
the  twelfth  and  commencement  of  the  thirteenth  century. 
The  great  size  of  the  two  colossi  of  the  Nan-dai-mon, 
the  sheer  brute  strength  exemplified  in  their  huge  stat- 
ure, and  tense  super-muscular  limbs,  their  menacing  ges- 
tures and  fiercely  contorted  faces,  call  up  visions  of  the 
equally  terrifying  guardians  of  the  rock-hewn  Nan-tung 
Temple  of  the  Lung-men  Caves,13  in  Honan,  China,  to 
which  we  have  already  referred.  In  these  wonder- 
ful rock  sculptures,  Figure  65,  dating  as  they  do  from 
the  second  half  of  the  seventh  century,  we  no  doubt  see 
the  inspiration  which  prompted  such  repellent  guardian 
deities  as  these  of  Todaiji.  Indeed,  if  we  study  Unkei's 
Narayana,  and  the  figures  of  the  Lung-men  Caves,  we 

isChavannes,  "  Voyage  archeologique  dansa  la  China  septentrionale,  1909; 
The  National  Geographic  Magazine,  Vol.  23,  October,  1912,  with  photographs 
taken  under  the  direction  of  Charles  L.  Freer,  Esquire,  of  Detroit. 

76 


Fig.   58.     Vajrapani  (Indra).  Clay. 
First     Nara    Epoch,     708-749. 

Sangwatsudo,    Nara. 


Fig.  60.  Front  of  the  Daibutsu- 
den  or  Hall  of  the  Great  Buddha. 
Rebuilt  1708.  Todaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.  59.  Memorial- Statue  of  the 
Abbot  Roben.  Wood.  Second  Nara 
Epoch  (after  773). 

Robendo,    Todaiji,   Nara. 


Fig.  61.  Bronze  Lantern.  Form- 
erly fronted  Daibutsuden  and  now 
in  Nara  Museum.  First  Nara  Epoch 
(Tempyo)  and  Repaired  in  the  years 
1101  and  1669.  Tddaiji,  Nara. 


•I 


Fig.  62.  Narayana  (Brahma). 
Wood,  coloured.  By  Unkei,  about 
1190-1203.  Height  26  ft.)  3  inches. 
Todaiji,  Nara. 

Tajima,   "Selected  Eelics." 


Fig.  64.  The  Emperor  Ojin,  as 
Hachiman.  By  Kwaikei,  about  1193- 
1202.  Kangaku-in,  Todaiji. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Eelics." 


63.  Vajrapani  (Indra). 
Wood,  coloured.  Height  26  ft.  3 
inches.  By  Kwaikei  (An-ami), 
about  1190-1203.  Todaiji,  Nara. 


Fig.  65.  Brahma.  Rock-carving, 
Exterior  Lung-men  Caves,  Honan, 
China,  Date  circa  672-675  A.  D. 


TODAIJI 

shall  realize  that  the  legacy  of  T'ang  art  as  bequeathed 
by  Eshin  and  Jocho  was  both  truthfully  and  ably  car- 
ried out  by  Unkei  and  his  immediate  followers. 

On  the  slopes  of  the  hill  to  the  right,  stands  one  of 
the  original  buildings  of  Todaiji,  the  Shoro  or  *'  Bell- 
tower."  In  its  architectural  construction  it  preserves 
the  temple  and  palace  style  of  China's  T'ang  Dynasty 
(618-907).  From  a  gigantic  wooden  beam  in  the  interior 
hangs  the  famous  "  Great  Bell "  of  Nara.  This  bell  was 
cast  in  the  year  732  A.  D. ;  and  it  is  said  to  weigh  49 
tons.  It  has  many  rivals;  many,  indeed,  that  far  out- 
weigh it.  Among  these  are  the  Great  Bell  at  Moscow, 
128  tons;  the  bell  at  Peking,  cast  in  1406,  53  tons;  the 
monster  Tsar  Kolokol  of  Moscow,  cast  as  recently  as 
i733>  but  cracked  and  never  used;  and  the  largest  bell 
in  the  world,  the  Great  Bell  of  Osaka,  Japan,  cast  in 
1902,  and  155  tons  in  weight.  Today  the  tone  of  the 
Todaiji  bell  is  as  rich  and  full  as  when  it  was  first  struck 
by  the  great  wooden  beam  that  first  sounded  it,  some 
1300  years  ago. 

Buried  in  a  thick  grove  of  stunted  pines  to  the  left  of 
the  entrance  of  the  Daibutsuden  stands  the  Kaidando, 
or  "  Baptistery." 

This  square  wooden  building  is  comparatively  modern, 
yet  it  contains  some  good  examples  of  the  plastic  art  of 
the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749).  A  huge  clay  dais  occu- 
pies nearly  the  whole  of  the  available  space  in  the  in- 
terior. It  is  said  to  be  the  dais  upon  which  stood  the 
Indian  missionary,  Baramon  Sojo,  when  he  received  into 
the  Buddhist  faith  the  Japanese  Emperor,  Shomu  (724- 
748).  At  each  corner  of  the  dais  stands  the  tall  figure 
of  one  of  the  Shi-Tenno;  noble  figures  of  quiet  dignity 

77 


NARA 

and  of  restrained  power,  who  are  represented  as  tram- 
pling under  foot  demons  or  enemies  of  the  Buddhist 
faith.  The  four  deities  are  modelled  in  clay,  and  traces 
of  color  decoration  and  gilding  are  still  plainly  visible 
in  the  joints  of  their  tight-fitting  suits  of  armour.  The 
fiery-eyed  Komokuten,  Figure  66,  is  perhaps  the  truest 
and  noblest  embodiment  of  these  "  guardian-deities  " ; 
but  Bishamon,  who  stands  as  sentinel  at  the  North,  is  a 
not  unworthy  rival. 

We  need  only  turn  to  the  Komokuten  of  the  seventh 
century,  by  Yamaguchi  at  Horyuji,  that  crude  and  expres- 
sionless figure  carved  in  650,  to  realize  the  marvellous 
improvement  that  has  taken  place  in  the  fifty  years  that 
had  elapsed  between  Yamaguchi's  day  and  the  First 
Nara  Epoch,  when  these  four  clay  figures  were  modelled. 
It  was  indeed  a  quick  growth  to  the  loftiness  of  concep- 
tion and  brilliancy  of  execution  evinced  in  these  pro- 
ductions of  the  Wado-Yoro  Eras  (708-721). 

One  other  great  sculptural  treasure  does  Todaiji  pos- 
sess, and  this  the  wooden  memorial  statue  of  the  priest 
Shunjo,  Figure  67.  This  is  the  one  single  treasure  of 
the  Shunjodo,  or  "  Hall  of  Shunjo."  History  tells  us 
that  Shunjo  was  Abbot  of  Todaiji  at  the  time  of  the 
great  fire  of  1180,  and  to  him  came  the  order  from 
the  Shogun  Yoritomo  to  rebuild  the  temples  and  temple 
dependencies  destroyed  by  that  disastrous  conflagration. 
Some  idea  of  the  grand  scale  of  the  consecration  service, 
which  took  place  when  the  rebuilding  had  been  com- 
pleted, may  be  gained  when  we  read  that  a  thousand 
priests  were  invited ;  that  the  Emperor  himself  attended, 
with  his  courtiers,  and  that  Yoritomo  stood  guard  about 
the  palace  with  a  band  of  military  officers  and  picked 

78 


T6DAIJI 

archers.  We  shall  presently  see  that  the  famous  Buddha 
of  Kamakura  was  a  result  of  Yoritomo's  visit  to  the  cap- 
ital at  this  time. 

As  to  the  memorial  statue  of  Shunjo,  tradition  would 
have  it  that  it  was  carved  either  by  that  worthy  himself, 
or  by  the  Sung  artist,  Chin  Wakei.  But  to  us  it  seems 
rather  a  work  of  a  master  of  the  ftnkei  School,  of  the 
twelfth-thirteenth  centuries. 

Todaiji  possesses,  or  rather  formerly  possessed,  but 
few  good  paintings.  And  those  which  the  temple  did 
originally  own,  in  company  with  many  another  pictorial 
treasure,  belonging  to  the  various  Buddhist  foundations 
hereabouts,  have  for  the  most  part  been  taken  over  by 
the  Imperial  Household  or  are  hidden  away  in  the  near-by 
treasury  called  Shosoin.  Among  Todaiji's  former  treas- 
ures, was  the  unique  folding  screen,  one  of  whose  six 
panels  is  illustrated  in  Figure  68.  This  is  probably  the 
earliest  painting  in  Japan,  the  litharge  and  wall  paintings 
of  Horyuji  and  Yakushiji  being  quite  different  in  tech- 
nique. The  painting  in  question  shows  a  lady  arrayed  in 
the  costume  of  the  Nara  Epoch.  Her  face  is  whitened 
with  rice-powder ;  there  is  a  suggestion  of  rouge  upon  her 
cheeks;  her  "moth-like"  eyebrows  are  accentuated  and 
the  little  dabs  of  paint  at  each  corner  of  the  mouth  are 
still  plainly  visible.  The  hair  and  outlines  of  the  robes 
were  originally  filled  in  with  brightly  colored  feathers. 
Indeed,  only  the  face  and  hands  were  painted  in  color. 
The  lady  is  represented  as  holding  two  "  sacred  jewels." 
The  style  of  the  painting  is  influenced  by  that  of  the  early 
T'ang  artists  of  China,  though  the  unknown  artist  has 
thoroughly  Japonicised  his  subject.  It  is  difficult  to 
verify  this  statement,  however,  so  few  and  far  between 

79 


NARA 

are  the  Chinese  paintings  which  may  be  safely  attrib- 
uted to  T'ang  days. 

History  records  that  this  screen  was  one  of  a  hundred, 
presented  to  the  great  temple  of  Todaiji.  It  is  the  orig- 
inal screen  presented  to  the  great  Buddha  of  Nara  by 
the  Empress  Komyo  in  memory  of  her  deceased  husband, 
the  Emperor  Shomu  (724-728).  A  paper  found  in  the 
inside  of  one  of  the  panels  shows  that  the  screen  was 
painted  somewhere  between  the  years  752-756.  It  now 
constitutes  one  of  the  rarest  possessions  of  the  near-by 
Shosoin,  or  "  Imperial  Treasury." 

Of  pictorial  art  evincing  a  strictly  religious  tendency, 
Todaiji  possesses  the  famous  but  sadly  damaged  Kusha- 
mandara,  Figure  69.  This  ancient  painting  represents 
the  founder  of  Buddhism,  Shaka,  seated  upon  a  lofty 
lotus  stem.  Below  him  on  similar  stands  sit  the  figures 
of  Monju  and  Fugen,  his  attendants.  In  a  wide  circle 
about  them  stand  Buddha's  disciples,  their  feet  resting 
upon  lotus  flowers.  Outside  of  the  circle,  to  right  and 
left,  stand  Indra  and  Brahma;  while  at  each  of  the  four 
corners,  the  armour-clad  Shi-Tenno,  the  very  antithesis 
of  the  calm  Indra  and  Brahma,  seem  to  scowl  at  and 
menace  the  beholder.  The  designs  are  painted  on  what 
is  now  yellow-stained  silk.  The  figures  are  well  drawn, 
the  brush  work  being  remarkably  fine.  The  palette 
shows  some  twelve  different  colors,  besides  traces  of 
gold.  The  charming  figure  of  Monju  (seated  left) 
proves  that  much  of  Tempyo  grace  survived  to  the  period 
when  this  painting  was  produced;  that  is  to  say,  to  the 
Early  Fujiwara  Epoch  (889-984). 

A  new  style,  that  of  the  Chinese  artists  of  the  Sung 
Dynasty,  is  well  exemplified  in  the  portrait  of  the  priest, 

80 


Fig.  66.  Komokuten.  Clay,  paint- 
ed. First  Nara  Epoch,  708-749. 
Kaidan-in,  Todaiji,  Nara. 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.  68.  Painting  on  Screen. 
Date  about  752-756  A.  D.  Imper- 
ial Household  Collection. 

Shoso-in,  Nara. 


Fig.  67.  Memorial-Statue  of  the 
Priest  Shunjo.  About  1195.  Shun- 
jodo,  Todaiji,  Naia. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  70.  Portrait  in  Colours 
on  Silk  of  the  Priest  Hsiang- 
hsiang.  Chinese,  Southern  Sung 
Dynasty,  dated  1185. 

Todaiji,   Nara. 


T6DAIJI 

Hsiang-hsiang,  Figure  70.  Dated  as  this  painting  is  in 
the  year  1185,  it  might  be  more  specifically  characterized 
as  of  the  Southern  Sung  School  (1126-1280);  the  painter 
is  unfortunately  unknown. 

The  priest  Hsiang,  clad  in  an  orange  and  dark  green 
robe,  is  represented  as  seated  before  a  lacquer  desk. 
Upon  this  are  arranged  ten  rolls  of  the  Buddhist  scrip- 
tures, bound  in  pale  blue  brocade.  He  appears  to  be  in- 
toning the  sutras.  The  design  of  cranes  against  a  rich 
background  of  lotus  flowers  is  still  brilliant  in  color,  the 
pure-white  birds  being  relieved  against  a  ground  of  soft 
Coromandel-pink.  The  pose  of  the  handsome  young 
priest  is  delightfully  natural,  the  fervent  expression  of 
the  singer  most  truthfully  rendered.  We  shall  presently 
see  how  art  such  as  this  was  to  impress  itself  upon  the 
thirstily  receptive  mind  of  the  Japanese.  For  the  in- 
spiration received  through  these  master  painters  of  the 
Sung  Dynasty  (960-1280),  resulted  in  the  brilliant 
achievements  of  the  Takuma  artists,  of  that  great  school 
of  Buddhist  painters,  which  flourished  during  the  period 
of  the  Kamakura  Shogunate  (1186-1333). 

And  the  treasures  of  Todaiji  can  introduce  us  to  still 
another  new  type  of  Buddhist  painting,  a  type  similarly 
modelled  upon  that  of  the  Chinese.  This  type  is  repre- 
sented by  the  splendid  set  of  kakemono,  upon  which  the 
famous  Chinese  painter,  Yen  Hui,  has  depicted  his  con- 
ception of  the  sixteen  arhats  (rakan)  or  disciples  of 
Shaka,  Figure  71. 

The  custom  of  depicting  these  rakan  seems  to  have 
come  into  prominence  in  China  about  the  period  of  the 
Five  Mirror  Dynasties  or  close  of  the  T'ang,  907  A.  D. 
It  was  at  the  height  of  its  popularity  about  the  time  when 

81 


NARA 

Yen  Hui  painted  the  series  in  question;  that  is,  during 
the  period  of  the  Mongol  Emperors  or  Yuan  Dynasty 
(1280-1367). 

Sometime  after  the  close  of  the  Tang  Dynasty,  the 
style  was  introduced  into  Japan,  but  it  did  not  become 
popular  until  the  Zen  sect  had  come  into  power.  Yet, 
beginning  with  the  close  of  the  Kamakura  Period,  by 
the  period  of  the  Ashikaga  Shogunate  (1334-1572)  por- 
traits of  patriarch,  temple-founders,  and  above  all  rakan, 
were  produced  in  well-nigh  innumerable  quantities. 

Behind  the  Daibutsuden  stands  the  Shosoin,  a  unique 
storehouse  —  one  might  indeed  say,  a  museum  of  an- 
tiquities, all  of  which  are  prior  to  the  end  of  the  eighth 
century.  But  once  a  year  is  this  Imperial  Treasure- 
house  opened  for  an  airing,  and  then  in  mid-summer.  At 
all  other  times  it  is  closed  fast,  and  guarded  by  soldiers 
day  and  night.14 

K6FUKUJI 

The  Buddhist  temple  of  Kofukuji,  one  of  the  seven 
great  monasteries  of  Nara,  was  built  by  Fuhito  Fuji- 
wara  in  the  3d  year  of  Wado  (710)  from  original  plans 
drawn  by  his  father,  Nakatomi-no  Kamatari,  founder  of 
the  illustrious  Fujiwara  family.  It  was  originally  one 
of  the  most  extensive  of  the  many  Buddhist  monasteries 
established  in  Japan  during  the  eighth  century,  and 
boasted  the  usual  seven  great  halls.  But  it  has  been  rav- 
aged by  innumerable  fires;  its  last  visitation,  the  great 
fire  of  1717,  nearly  destroyed  it.  Thus,  at  the  present 
day,  it  consists  of  but  three  buildings  and  two  pagodas. 

14  Catalogue  of  its  various  art  objects,  with  good  illustrations,  published 
by  the  Shimbi  Shdin,  Tokyo. 

82 


K6FUKOJI 

The  first  building,  the  T6-kondo,  shelters  a  large  gilt- 
lacquer  figure  of  Yakushi  Nyorai,  the  God  of  Healing. 
But  its  one  object  of  note  is  the  wooden  statue  of  Yuima 
by  Jokei. 

This  artist,  second  son  of  Onkei,  was  at  first  called 
K6-un.  And,  though  nothing  is  known  as  to  the  date 
of  his  birth  or  day  of  his  death,  we  are  aware  that  he 
flourished  about  the  commencement  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  This  statue  of  Yuima  reveals  him  at  his  best, 
Figure  72. 

It  represents  the  famous  Indian  layman  of  Gautama 
Buddha's  day,  as  seated  cross-legged  upon  a  high  dais. 
He  gazes  down  intently.  His  eyebrows  are  drawn  low 
down,  his  lips  parted,  and  the  contracted  facial  muscles 
and  square  jaw-bone  revealed  beneath  the  tightly  drawn 
skin,  presents  the  thoroughly  argumentative  expression 
which  one  would  expect,  knowing  his  reputation.  For, 
like  Monju,  his  rival,  Yuima  was  considered  a  stubborn 
and  most  enthusiastic  religious  debater. 

Again,  during  the  last  eight  years  of  the  reign  of  the 
Emperor  Gotoba,  or  between  1190  and  1198,  Jokei  carved 
the  figures  of  a  pair  of  Nio,  which  are  today  among  the 
greatest  treasures  of  Kofukuji.  Of  these  the  statue  of 
Indra  is  illustrated  under  Figure  73.  The  expression 
upon  the  face  of  this  giant  is  calm  and  restrained,  though 
the  crystal  eyes  flash  and  the  mouth  is  tightly  shut. 
The  corners  of  the  thin  lips,  drawn  tensely  down,  give 
the  bullet-head  a  poise  of  hawk-like  alertness.  The 
powerful  right  hand  is  outstretched,  as  if  to  repel  the 
hideous  demons  of  the  unseen  world.  The  giant  frame 
is  a  model  of  terrific  strength ;  the  strength  of  the  prize- 
ring,  as  represented  by  such  a  champion  wrestler  as 

83 


NARA 

Hachiyama,  in  whose  colossal  frame  suppleness  and 
muscular  strength  are  equally  combined. 

The  Nio  of  Jokei  are  not  contorted  out  of  all  shape, 
neither  are  they  spotted  by  a  hideous  mass  of  warty 
muscles,  as  is  the  case  in  many  a  similar  figure  attrib- 
uted to  ftnkei  or  Kwaikei.  In  these  two  figures,  indeed, 
Jokei  may  almost  be  said  to  carry  one  back  to  the  early 
eighth  century  figures  of  the  Wado-Yoro  periods.  His 
masterpiece,  the  painted-wood  image  of  Avalokitesvara, 
(Kwannon),  Figure  74,  forms  the  most  prized  treasure  of 
the  Kuramadera,  north  of  Kyoto.  At  this  writing  it  is 
on  exhibition  in  the  Imperial  Museum  of  Kyoto. 

The  charming  natural  pose,  the  dreamily  tender  ex- 
pression upon  the  face;  the  beautiful  hands  and  dainty 
feet  and  the  graceful  draping  of  the  semitransparent 
robe  —  whose  folds  cover  yet  but  half  conceal  the  move- 
ments of  the  rounded  limbs  below  —  prove  this  figure 
worthy  of  the  high  place  it  occupies  among  the  more 
famous  sculptural  treasures  of  ancient  Japan. 

The  Nanendo  of  Kofukuji  was  dedicated  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Kwannon  (Amoghapasa)  by  Fuyutsugu  Fuji- 
wara  in  the  year  813.  It  has  since  been  burned  eight 
different  times.  The  present  building,  like  the  Daibut- 
suden  of  near-by  Todaiji,  dates  only  from  the  eighteenth 
century  (1741).  Like  it  too,  the  structure  is  painted  red 
and  white,  but  in  its  quaint  form  it  speaks  to  the  devout 
Buddhist  of  Fudarakusen,  the  mountain-set  home  of 
Kwannon,  Goddess  of  Mercy. 

Before  it  stands  one  of  the  bronze  treasures  of  Japan, 
the  graceful  lantern  illustrated  in  Figure  75. 

This  work  of  art  was  cast  in  the  7th  year  of  the  Konin 
Era  (816).  Until  quite  recently  it  boasted  eight  in- 

84 


K6FUKUJI 

scribed  lattice-work  shutters ;  but  these,  for  safe-keeping, 
have  been  removed  to  the  Nara  Museum. 

The  two  bronze  lanterns  of  Nara,  that  of  the  Daibut- 
suden,  and  the  lantern  in  question,  are  unlike  in  almost 
every  detail.  In  the  first,  we  may  doubtless  remark 
pure  Chinese  influence,  while  in  this  of  the  Nanendo  we 
may  enjoy  the  restrained  good  taste  of  Yamato.  Though 
the  richness  of  detail  noticeable  in  the  Todaiji  bronze  is 
here  entirely  lacking,  the  Nanendo  lantern  is  of  exquisite 
proportions;  indeed,  in  this  respect  it  is  a  worthy  rival 
of  the  larger  and  more  famous  lantern  of  Daibutsuden. 

We  have  said  above  that  the  Nanendo  is  made  in  the 
shape  of  Kwannon's  sacred  mountain.  Thus,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising to  find  an  image  of  that  beneficent  bodhisattva, 
installed  as  its  chief  deity.  However,  the  figure,  though 
of  great  antiquity,  is  quite  unworthy  of  the  splendid 
statues  ranged  in  a  circle  about  it.15  Six  in  number  they 
are  said  to  represent  the  six  famous  fathers  of  the  Hosso 
sect  of  Buddhism.16  The  entire  series  is  carved  in  wood, 
and  the  very  realism  of  each  and  every  one  leads  one  to 
suspect  that  they  are  in  no  sense  idealistic  portraits  but 
that  they  represent  with  startling  truth  and  naturalness 
certain  influential  prelates  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

Very  grim  and  austere  is  Genbo,  who  kneels  in  earnest 
prayer,  with  hands  crossed  tightly  before  him.  This  an- 
cient patriarch  spent  some  twenty  years  in  China  study- 
ing Sanskrit  and  the  mysteries  of  the  Hosso  doctrine. 
He  returned  thence  with  over  5000  copies  of  the  sutras 
and  commentaries,  Buddhist  images  and  other  treasures. 
He  was  assassinated  in  746. 

is  Recently  removed  to  Nara  Museum. 

16  Genbo,  Genpin,  Zenshu,  Gyoga,  Joto,  and  Shinyei,  all  of  whom  lived 
during  the  eighth  century,  A.D. 

85 


KARA 

And  perhaps  even  more  startling  in  its  realism  is  the 
seated  figure  of  Genpin,  the  modelling  of  whose  heavily 
veined  forehead  and  deeply  lined  face  is  little  short  of 
marvelous,  Figure  76.  The  armour-clad  statues  of  the 
Nio  by  Jitsugen  (?)  of  Kasuga  have  preserved  the  early 
eighth  century  type.  The  poses  are  superb,  the  poise  of 
the  noble  heads  worthy  of  ancient  Greece,  Figure  77. 
All  that  is  known  of  the  artist  Jitsugen  is  the  fact  that 
he  was  appointed  "  Kasuga  Daibusshi "  or  "  Great 
Buddhist  sculptor  of  Kasuya"  and  that  he  flourished 
during  the  Kenkyu  Era  (1190-1198). 

The  long,  low,  red-and-white  building  on  the  far  side 
of  the  open  square,  is  the  Kondo.  This  barn-like  build- 
ing is  comparatively  modern  in  date,  but  it  contains  a 
number  of  sculptural  treasures. 

At  the  four  corners  of  the  long  dais  stand  painted-wood 
figures  of  the  Shi-Tenno  or  Deva  Kings,  figures  ascribed 
to  the  Kamakura  Period  (1186-1333).  In  the  centre  of 
the  platform  is  a  splendid  gilt-wood  trinity  representing 
Shaka  (seated),  Monju  and  Fugen,  said  to  date  from 
about  the  prolific  period  of  Kenkyu  (1190-1198).  Be- 
hind these  rests  a  fragment  of  a  gigantic  Kwannon  in 
gilt- wood  and  a  number  of  charming  gilt- wood  tennin  or 
Buddhist  angels,  sinuous  figures  still  revealing,  in  their 
softly  rounded  forms  and  features,  the  influence  of  dis- 
tant India.  These  may  well  date  from  the  eleventh- 
twelfth  centuries.  These  dainty  little  figures  were 
grouped,  no  doubt,  along  the  upper  part  of  the  original 
temple  walls,  as  we  see  them  today  in  the  Phoenix  Hall 
at  Uji. 

It  is  most  unfortunate  that  the  Kwannon  was  so  in- 
jured, for  she  might  have  exemplified  on  a  grand  scale 

36 


the  exquisite  beauty  which,  through  these  little  tennin, 
we  can  now  but  enjoy  in  miniature. 

The  two  huge  wooden  heads  of  Indra  and  Brahma, 
which  rest  upon  the  dais  near  by,  are  attributed  to  the 
sculptor  "Jingoro"  (1584-1634),  an  artist  nicknamed 
"Hidari"  or  "the  left-handed,"  and  of  whose  work 
many  beautiful  examples  still  exist  in  Tokyo,  Kyoto  and 
Nikko.  If  these  heads  are  indeed  by  Jingoro,  then  to 
our  mind  he  did  well  to  forsake  Buddhist  statuary  in 
favor  of  the  purely  decorative  work  of  wood-carving. 
His  delightful  reliefs  and  openwork  carvings,  seen,  alas, 
so  rarely,  are  far  finer.  Indeed,  as  models  of  rich  de- 
sign, intricate  detail  and  patient  workmanship,  they  are 
well  worthy  of  the  eulogies  expended  so  freely  upon  them 
by  Japanese  and  Europeans  alike. 

But  the  greatest  treasures  of  the  Kondo  have  now  been 
taken  for  safe-keeping  to  the  Nara  Museum.  And  first 
among  these,  as  typical  works  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch, 
we  must  mention  the  statues  of  the  "  hachi-bushu  "  or 
representatives  of  the  "  eight  classes  of  Buddhist  de- 
mons," attributed  to  Montoshi.  Nothing  further  is 
known  of  this  artist  than  that  he  was  an  Indian  mission- 
ary who  seems  to  have  come  to  Japan  direct  during  the 
reign  of  the  Emperor  Shomu  (724-748). 

These  examples  of  Montoshi's  art,  some  seven  in  num- 
ber, are  modelled  in  dry-lacquer,  colored  and  gilt.  On 
the  average  they  stand  about  five  feet  in  height.  Though 
there  is  a  certain  stiffness  in  these  statues,  Figure  78, 
still  we  may  see  in  them  some  traces  of  the  Greco- 
Buddhist  influence.  In  Montoshi's  dry-lacquer  statues 
of  the  "  Ten  Disciples  of  Shaka,"  of  which  two  are  illus- 


87 


NARA 

trated  under  Figure  79,  this  Greek  influence  is  even  more 
pronounced. 

Four  superb  examples  of  dry-lacquer  work,  dating 
from  the  early  ninth  century,  are  the  painted  images  of 
the  Four  Deva  Kings  brought  here  from  the  Hokuendo. 
Of  these,  Komoku-Ten  is  illustrated  in  Figure  80. 

The  extraordinary  figures  of  the  "  Buddhist  heroes  " 
Junishisho  are  unique  of  their  kind,  being  carved  in 
half-relief  and  set  (recently)  upon  wooden  panels. 
They  date  perhaps  from  the  Early  Ffijiwara  Epoch 
(888-986).  Meikira-Taisho,  one  of  the  series,  Figure  81, 
is,  indeed,  a  terrifying  spectacle.  His  stunted  super- 
muscular  form  is  contorted  into  a  fiercely  menacing  at- 
titude, suggestive  of  the  very  abandonment  of  frenzied 
passion.  He  appears  to  bound  into  the  air ;  to  stamp  the 
ground,  as  does  a  giant  of  the  wrestler's  ring.  His  hair 
stands  on  end;  his  prominent  eyes  flash  hatred;  his 
reddened  nostrils  are  distended ;  and  we  can  almost  hear 
the  exultant  yell  of  unbridled  fury  that  issues  from  his 
hideous  mouth. 

To  Jocho,  the  reviver  of  Nara  sculpture,  is  attributed 
the  gilt-wood  Shaka,  Figure  82,  a  faded  and  incense- 
stained  seated  statue,  which  also  belonged  originally  to 
the  Hokuendo  of  Kofukuji.  It  is  strongly  reminiscent 
of  the  beautiful  clay  Shaka  of  Koryuji,  Figure  17. 
Jocho  studied  his  craft  under  a  master  influenced  by  the 
Chinese  school  of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (618-907).  Thus  his 
work,  like  that  of  the  priestly  artist  Eshin  Sozu,  bears  a 
strong  reflection  of  the  sculptural  art  of  the  Middle  King- 
dom. Though  his  style  is  characterized  by  a  mastery 
of  the  rhythmic  undulations  of  drapery-folds,  his  figures 
are  inclined  to  be  gross  and  heavy  of  feature;  the  small 


KOFUKtijI 

(Tang)  mouth  is  very  noticeable,  as  in  Eshin's  painting 
and  sculpture. 

tfnkei's  wooden  statues  of  Muchaku  and  Seshin  repre- 
sent perhaps  the  best  expression  of  the  famous  school  of 
wood-carvers,  founded  by  that  gifted  artist  toward  the 
end  of  the  twelfth  century,  ftnkei  is  said  to  have 
carved  the  figures  under  discussion  about  the  year  1208. 
Muchaku,  or  Asanga,  as  he  is  known  in  India,  was  the 
son  of  a  famous  Brahman  of  Gandhara  (Perhawar 
Valley)  in  northwest  India.  Both  he  and  his  brother 
flourished  about  the  end  of  the  fourth  century  of  our  era ; 
when,  besides  preaching  a  new  interpretation  of  the 
Buddhist  doctrine,  they  occupied  themselves  with  writ- 
ing books  and  commentaries  upon  Buddhism  and  other 
subjects.  Onkei's  idealistic  portraits  of  the  two  stand 
some  6  feet  4  inches  in  height.  Muchaku  is  represented, 
Figure  83,  as  a  mildly  disputatious  old  priest,  whose 
broad,  benevolent  face  would  indicate  a  life  of  indolence 
and  good  living,  were  it  not  for  the  keenly  alert  little 
eyes  and  the  deep  wrinkles  that  furrow  his  brow.  In 
pose  there  is  something  of  the  Roman  senator  about 
Muchaku.  His  heavy  robe  falls  in  straight  but  rhythmic 
folds  to  the  tips  of  his  big  Chinese  shoes.  The  set  of  the 
head  upon  an  extremely  short  thick  neck  —  a  charac- 
teristic seemingly  of  Fujiwara  and  early  Kamakura 
statues ; 17  his  somewhat  argumentative  pose ;  and  the 
fall  of  his  voluminous  toga-like  robes  recall  visions  of 
the  bronze  senator  of  the  Capitoline  Museum  of  Rome. 
No  doubt  we  are  to  see  in  these  realistic  statues  the  por- 
traits of  two  unknown  prelates  of  the  Kamakura  Epoch. 

IT  Some  critics  would  attribute  these  two  figures  to  Chinese  (T'ang) 
artists.  To  us  there  is  no  question  but  that  they  are  Japanese  of  the  Kama- 
kura Period. 

89 


NARA 

Their  fidelity  to  nature  is  little  short  of  marvelous.  In- 
deed, in  these  two  expressions  of  his  genius,  frnkei  has 
well  upheld  the  traditions  of  the  master  sculptors  of  the 
First  Nara  Epoch. 

But  again,  the  best  known  statues,  perhaps  in  all 
Japan,  are  those  of  the  demons  who  support  the  wooden 
lanterns,  one  of  which,  that  of  Tentoki,  is  illustrated 
under  Figure  84.  The  figures  are  said  to  have  been 
carved  by  Koben,  son  of  tJnkei,  in  the  year  1215.  If,  in- 
deed, by  him,  they  may  certainly  be  called  his  master- 
pieces. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  history  of  this  artist.  All 
we  are  sure  of  is  that  Koben  was  the  fourth  son  of  ftnkei, 
and  that  he  flourished  during  the  first  half  of  the  thir- 
teenth century. 

As  to  his  skill  as  a  sculptor,  we  must  let  Ryutoki  and 
Tentoki  speak  for  him.  The  little  monsters  tell  us  that 
Koben's  skill  was  that  of  Unkei,  his  father.  Like  him 
too  Koben  excelled  in  the  representation  of  the  demons 
and  demigods  of  Buddhism.  He  too  could  express  the 
unbridled  fury  of  an  Emma-6;  the  terrific  strength  of  a 
devaraya  or  the  dwarfed,  misshapen  form  of  a  hideous 
tengu  or  demon-attendant. 

Kofukuji  possesses  three  especially  fine  paintings  on 
silk  of  early  date.  In  two  of  these  —  idealistic  portraits 
of  two  of  the  Deva  Kings  —  we  are  confronted  by  a  new 
style  of  painting:  a  style  which  presumably  had  its  in- 
spiration in  the  Brahmanistic  doctrines  of  esoteric 
Buddhism.  At  any  rate,  this  style  first  appeared  in 
China  after  the  introduction  of  that  form  of  Buddhism, 
that  is  to  say,  about  the  reign  of  the  T'ang  Emperor 
Hsiian-tsung  (715-755).  The  paintings  are  said  to  date 

90 


K6FUKUJI 

from  the  Early  Fujiwara  Period  (889-985) ;  but  they  are 
not  unlikely  copies  —  in  T'ang  style  —  by  an  artist  of 
a  somewhat  subsequent  date,  in  fact  they  may  be  at- 
tributed to  an  artist  of  the  Kasuga  School  of  the  eleventh- 
twelfth  centuries.  Jikoku-Ten,  Figure  85,  is  clad  in  ar- 
mour. Full  baggy  trousers  are  tied  in  tight  below  his 
knees,  a  long  skirt  descends  below  his  breastplate,  and 
his  wide  sleeves  are  agitated  by  the  wind  which  blows 
about  the  rock  upon  which  he  stands.  On  his  head  is 
set  a  huge  Chinese  helmet;  his  right  hand  clasps  a  long 
two-edged  sword.  On  either  side  of  him  crouch  hideous 
demons,  the  one  green,  the  other  red.  The  green  demon  is 
about  to  fit  a  double-pronged  arrow  to  his  bow,  while  the 
other,  with  difficulty,  supports  a  large  halberd,  whose 
red  and  blue  pennant  streams  out  behind  the  head  of  the 
warrior-deity.  The  main  colors  of  the  artist's  palette 
are  tea-leaf  brown,  red,  white,  green  and  blue,  though 
little  remains  today  of  its  former  brilliancy.  In  fact  the 
design  seems  to  resolve  itself  into  the  faded  brown  silk 
upon  which  it  is  painted.  Yet,  it  is  by  means  of  paint- 
ings such  as  this  that  we  must  attempt  to  study  the  ear- 
liest works  of  the  Chinese  masters,  so  few  and  far  be- 
tween are  their  works. 

The  remarkable  portrait  of  Jion  Daishi,  Figure  86, 
represents  another  phase  of  the  T'ang  art  of  China.  It 
strongly  resembles  that  portrait  of  the  same  worthy, 
which  we  have  already  seen  at  Yakushiji.  In  this  case, 
however,  the  Daishi  stands.  He  is  represented  in 
priestly  garb,  of  brown,  dull  red  and  black.  His  long 
fingered  hands  are  crossed  before  him,  and  his  crystal 
rosary  is  conspicuously  brought  forward  upon  his  thick 
wrist.  As  in  the  Yakushiji  portrait  we  are  confronted 

91 


NARA 

by  a  large-headed  man,  with  a  thick  neck,  fat  cheeks,  a 
long  nose  and  a  rather  large  mouth.  His  beady  little 
eyes  glitter  beneath  fiercely  bushy  eyebrows.  Indeed, 
the  Daishi  is  far  from  being  a  handsome  man,  though 
great  strength  of  body  and  keenness  of  insight  are 
evinced  in  this  portrait.  With  the  two  works  al- 
luded to  above,  this  portrait  of  Jion,  sometimes  attrib- 
uted to  the  Early  Fujiwara  Period,  may  more  reason- 
ably be  assigned  to  the  eleventh  century.  Like  them  too, 
it  is  no  doubt  an  example  of  Japanese  painting  in  the 
pure  style  of  the  Chinese  artists  of  the  Middle  Tang 
Dynasty,  eighth  century. 

KASUGA-N6-MIYA 

This  most  charmingly  situated  temple  is  said  to  have 
been  founded  in  the  year  767  A.  D.  It  is  dedicated  to  an 
ancestor  of  the  illustrious  Fujiwara  family,  the  Shinto 
god,  Ama-no-Koyane,  to  his  wife  and  to  two  other  pre- 
historic heroes.  The  original  ancestor  of  the  Nakatomi, 
or,  as  they  later  became,  Fujiwara,  is  said  to  have  de- 
scended from  heaven  with  the  grandchild  of  the  Sun- 
Goddess  Amaterasu,  when  he  appeared  in  Osumi  to  take 
possession  of  the  land.  But  a  less  remote  progenitor  and 
the  great  character  from  whom  the  Fujiwara  obtained 
its  name,  was  that  famous  Nakatomi-no-Kamanari, 
whose  laws  of  645  A.  D. —  founded  like  everything  else 
upon  those  of  China  —  formed  the  basis  of  the  first  politi- 
cal code  of  seventh  century  Japan,  and  of  that  of  their 
modern  descendants  of  the  twentieth  century.  That  is 
to  say,  the  laws  of  Kamanari,  intended  to  centralize  the 
government  over  less  than  four  million  people,  is  now, 
with  certain  changes,  the  basis  of  the  Japanese  code  that 

92 


KASUGA-N6-MIYA 

sways  the  destinies  of  a  population  exceeding  forty  mil- 
lion. 

Another  fact  in  the  history  of  this  ancient  family 
should  be  mentioned,  as  it  is  of  more  than  usual  interest. 
From  the  eighth  century  onward  it  has  been  the  general 
custom  of  the  Japanese  emperors  to  seek  their  consorts 
among  the  daughters  of  the  Fuji  war  a.  Thus,  two  of 
the  Emperor  Kwammu's  consorts,  themselves  mothers 
of  emperors,  were  of  this  house.  And  the  device  of  the 
crafty  Regent  Fujiwara  Yoshifusa,  whereby  Fujiwara 
consorts  were  imposed  upon  the  puppet  emperors  of 
the  ninth-eleventh  centuries,  enabled  later  Fujiwara  to 
worthily  uphold  the  authority  and  the  dignity  of  their 
house.  Even  today  the  dominant  strain  of  the  Imperial 
House  is  Fujiwara;  and  it  is  further  claimed  that  nearly 
two-thirds  of  the  court  nobility  are  of  Fujiwara  descent. 

To  reach  the  main  temple,  we  pass  beneath  a  huge 
red  torii  and  ascend  by  a  splendid  avenue  of  huge 
cryptomerias,  which  both  in  size  and  beauty  rival  the 
splendid  giants  of  the  Nikko  Avenue.  In  the  park,  deer 
roam  about  at  will,  or  follow  us  as  we  pause  to  examine 
the  wonderful  line  of  moss-covered  stone  lanterns,  which 
stand  in  a  double  row  on  either  side  of  the  path.  These 
lanterns  are  seen  at  their  best  at  night,  when,  for  a  small 
fee,  all  are  lighted  by  the  priests  of  the  near-by  Waka- 
Miya,  a  temple  dedicated  to  a  son  of  the  original  ancestor 
of  the  Fujiwara. 

Here  one  may  see  the  ancient  religious  dance  called 
kagura.  It  is  performed  by  pretty  little  priestesses  clad 
in  voluminous  red  and  white  robes  and  having  bright 
little  tinsel  pendants  stuck  in  their  glossy  black  hair, 
which  is  gathered  in  a  single  long  tress  behind.  The 

93 


NARA 

dance  itself  is  of  the  shortest  and  consists  in  a  few  gyra- 
tions and  genuflections,  accompanied  by  the  waving  of 
a  branch  of  a  tree,  the  shaking  of  a  bunch  of  small  bells, 
and  the  doleful  wails  of  the  temple  musician.  Here,  more 
than  anywhere  else  perhaps,  may  one  enjoy  (?)  the  in- 
harmonious harmonies  of  Japanese  music. 

In  a  gallery  near  by  is  kept  a  rare  suit  of  armour,  said 
to  have  belonged  to  the  ill-fated  Nanko,  who  perished  so 
loyally  in  support  of  the  cause  of  the  Emperor  G6-Daigo 
(i4th  century).  Here  too  may  be  seen  some  fine  old  lac- 
quered dancing-masks,  the  hideous  small  nasori-men 
used  in  the  bugaku-dance  being  especially  fine.  These 
are  said  to  date  from  the  eighth  century. 

The  main  temple  is  approached  by  a  large  portico, 
which  is  surrounded  by  a  brightly  painted  gallery  hung 
with  hundreds  of  little  brass  lanterns.  It  is  painted  a 
bright  red  and  similarly  hung  with  innumerable  lanterns, 
nearly  all  of  which  are  simply  ornamented  with  the  open- 
work crest  of  the  donor.  The  lantern  called  semi  doro, 
with  a  cicada  climbing  up  its  handle,  is  especially  ad- 
mired, as  is  the  "  lion  lantern  "  called  shikami  doro.  The 
latter  dates  from  1613,  the  former  from  1672.  The  sur- 
rounding gallery,  the  Sujikai-no-ma,  is  said  to  have  been 
designed  by  Jingoro  (lyth  century). 

There  is  little  of  interest  in  the  way  of  art  objects  at 
Kasuga,  but  the  temple  gave  its  name  to  a  school  of  paint- 
ing and  sculpture  which  arose  about  the  middle  of  the 
middle  Fujiwara  Epoch,  or  about  1000  to  1050.  This 
professional  Buddhist  School  was  founded  by  Kasuga 
Motomitsu,  of  whom  the  late  Professor  Fenollosa  justly 
remarks  that  his  work  is  "  so  closely  affiliated  with  both 
Hirotaka's  and  Eshin's  that  we  are  almost  bound  to  be- 

94 


SHIN-YAKUSHIJI 

lieve  him  at  first  a  Kose  pupil,  who  learned  closely  to 
follow  the  vision-seeing  priest  Eshin."  Of  sculptors 
Jocho  was,  as  we  have  already  seen,  a  contemporary  of 
Motomitsu.  He  was  the  first  lay-sculptor,  as  Kanaoka 
was  the  first  professional  painter. 

SHIN-YAKUSHIJI 

The  ancient  temple  of  Shin- Yakushi  ji  was  erected 
in  the  seventeenth  year  of  the  Tempyo  Era,  745.  Thus, 
it  is  one  of  the  oldest  wooden  buildings  in  Japan.  Long 
and  low  in  shape,  its  great  red  columns  support  a  grace- 
ful tiled  roof.  The  whole  building  rests  upon  a  high 
masonry  platform,  Figure  87.  Though  repaired  thor- 
oughly during  the  Kengen  Era  (1302-1303)  the  building 
still  retains  somewhat  of  its  original  woodwork.  But 
the  chief  attractions  of  this  site  are  the  gilt-wood  image 
of  Yakushi,  the  bronze  Shaka,  and  the  wonderful  series 
of  "  divine  heroes  "  modelled  in  clay,  and  dating  from 
the  grandest  period  of  Japan's  sculptural  art,  the  First 
Nara  Epoch  (708-749). 

Yakushi,  the  main  deity  of  the  temple,  is  seated  cross- 
legged  in  the  centre  of  the  great  circular  altar,  which 
here  almost  entirely  fills  the  hall.  His  heavy  features, 
short  neck  and  gross  form,  reveal  little  beauty,  though 
the  realistic  handling  of  his  robe  is  worthy  of  a  better 
cause.  Gilt  drapery  festoons  fall  from  the  wooden  stand 
upon  which  he  sits,  and  a  brilliantly  gilded  mandorla 
rises  high  behind  him,  Figure  88.  Temple  tradition 
would  assign  this  statue  to  the  Korean  missionary  of 
Shomu's  day,  Gyogi  (670-749).  But  this  is  one  of  the 
many  artistic  fictions  connected  with  that  gifted  man,  for 

95 


NARA 

the  figure  dates  no  doubt  from  the  tenth-eleventh  cen- 
turies. 

Far  earlier  is  the  bronze  Shaka,  illustrated  in  Figure 
89.  In  this  the  Buddha  is  represented  as  standing  rigidly 
erect.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  the  cintra- jewel;  his 
left  is  raised  in  the  attitude  of  benediction.  From  his 
sloping  shoulders  a  long  robe  falls  in  wide  folds,  in  a 
phase  of  the  ryusui  or  "  flowing  water  "  style.  We  see 
at  once  that  this  rare  work  of  art  belongs  in  the  same 
category  as  the  early  bronzes  of  Horyuji.  There  is  some- 
thing reminiscent  too  of  Shotoku  Taishi's  seated  Kwan- 
non  (Horyuji)  in  the  expression  of  the  face;  but  it  is  a 
somewhat  more  mature  type.  Combining  as  it  seems  to 
do  the  arts  of  the  Northern  and  Southern  Chinese 
Schools,  it  may  perhaps  represent  the  work  of  a  Korean 
artist  of  the  late  sixth  century.  It  is,  indeed,  one  of  the 
best  productions  of  the  Pre-Nara  Epoch  that  has  sur- 
vived to  us  in  Japan. 

Of  eighth  century  plastic  art  Shin-Yakushiji  possesses 
the  famous  images  of  the  Juniten;  with  the  Shi-Tenno 
of  the  Sangwatsudo  (Todaiji)  perhaps  the  most  thor- 
oughly representative  examples  of  figure  modelling  in 
clay  to  be  seen  in  Japan.  These  twelve  figures  represent 
the  twelve  vows  of  Yakushi.  They  are  said  to  have 
under  their  control  84,000  good  genii,  through  whom 
they  are  supposed  to  be  enabled  to  protect  all  good 
Buddhists.  Vajra,  the  second  of  the  "  divine  heroes," 
Figure  92,  is  in  many  ways  the  most  remarkable  of  the 
series.  His  pose  is  superb,  the  restrained  alertness  of 
his  form  being  marvelously  rendered,  and  this  in  spite  of 
the  full  suit  of  armour  which  he  wears.  He  appears  to 
be  watching  a  combat  between  some  of  his  myrmidons 

96 


Fig. 
rood, 


73.  Vajrapani  (Indra). 
Wood,  painted.  By  Jokei,  about 
1190-1198.  Kofukuji,  Nara. 


Fig.   74.     Kwannon.     Wood,  paint- 
l.     By  Jokei,   about   1190-1198. 

Kyoto    Imperial   Museum. 


Fig.  75.  Hexagonal  Lantern. 
Bronze,  cast  816  A.  D.  Front- 
ing Nanendo,  Kofukuji,  Nara. 


Fig.  76.  Memorial-Statue  of  the  Priest 
Genpin.  Thirteenth  Century.  Formerly 
in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial  Museum. 


Fig.  77.  Vajrapani  (Indra). 
Wood,  painted.  By  Jitsugen  (?), 
about  1190-1198.  Formerly  in 
Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial  Mu- 
seum. 


Fig.  78.  Two  Demigods.  Dry  Lac- 
quer, coloured  and  gilt.  First  Nara 
Epoch,  and  about  724-749.  Formerly 
in  Kofukuji,  now  Nara  Imperial  Mu- 
seum. 


Fig.  79.  Two  Disciples  of  Shaka. 
Dry  Lacquer.  First  Nara  Epoch  and 
about  724-749.  Formerly  in  Kofu- 
kuji, now  in  Nara  Imperial  Museum. 


Fig.  80.  Komokuten.  Dry  Lac- 
quer. Early  Ninth  Century.  For- 
merly in  Hdkuendo,  Kofukuji,  now 
Nara  Imperial  Museum. 


SHIN-YAKUSHIJI 

and  the  foes  of  Buddhism.  As  he  yells  fierce  encourage- 
ment to  his  little  allies,  his  wild  and  matted  locks  seem 
to  rise  upon  his  head  with  fury,  his  eyes  to  flash  fire 
with  hate.  Indeed,  as  we  gaze  up  at  him,  and  at  the 
still  more  terrifying  Vyakara,  who  stands  beside  him, 
the  great  altar  seems  to  tremble  beneath  their  quivering 
forms,  the  very  hall  to  resound  with  the  echoes  of  their 
fiercely  exultant  yells.  As  to  the  modeler  of  these 
ancient  works  of  art  nothing  is  known.  But  their 
armour-clad  forms,  models  of  anatomical  truth,  and  the 
splendid  energy  evinced  in  their  poses,  reflect  the  Greco- 
Buddhist  influence  which  produced  the  unmatched 
statues  of  the  First  Nara  Epoch  (708-749). 

This  temple  possesses  a  single  good  painting:  a 
Nehanso  or  Death  of  Shaka,  painted  on  silk,  Figure  91. 
As  one  of  the  earliest  examples  of  the  Takuma  School  in 
existence,  it  is  of  great  interest  to  the  student  of  Japa- 
nese painting,  since  it  no  doubt  provided  a  model  for  the 
many  representations  of  the  Nirvana,  which  were  subse- 
quently painted.  That  one  may  readily  understand  the 
subject  of  this  picture,  we  should  state  that  Buddhism 
has  preserved  two  traditions  as  to  what  took  place  when 
Shaka  died,  or  "entered  into  Nirvana."  According  to 
one,  he  passed  away  beneath  an  avenue  of  trees,  near  his 
home  in  Kusinagara  in  Vaisali,  North  India,18  and  that 
but  two  of  his  disciples  were  with  him.  The  other  states 
that  he  passed  away  surrounded  by  his  disciples;  that 
many  gods,  demons,  animals,  birds,  insects,  stood  near  by, 
and  that  his  mother  Maya  descended  upon  the  clouds  to 
greet  him. 

is  It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  in  this  connection  that  the  remains  of 
Guatama  Siddartha  Buddha  were  discovered  in  Northern  India. 

97 


NARA 

The  unknown  artist  has  chosen  the  latter,  the  Mahay- 
anistic  tradition,  as  one  that  would  appeal  more  to  the 
emotions  of  man,  whether  poetic  or  religious. 

We  see  the  dying  Guatama  reclining  upon  a  couch. 
His  head  is  supported  upon  a  lotus  flower.  Behind, 
stand  or  kneel  his  weeping  disciples.  In  front,  mis- 
shapen demons  howl  or  throw  themselves  into  agonizing 
postures ;  birds  and  beasts  bring  lotus  flowers  and  peonies 
in  their  beaks  and  mouths. 

In  contradistinction  to  this  atmosphere  of  vociferating 
grief,  Shaka's  expression  is  one  of  perfect  peace.  The 
artist  has  indeed  caught  the  true  meaning  of  the  Nirvana. 

As  to  the  age  and  authorship  of  the  painting,  opinions 
are  divided.  Some  would  see  in  it  a  work  of  the  Chinese 
painter,  Ganki,  who  lived  under  the  Yuan  or  Mongol  Em- 
perors of  the  early  fourteenth  century.  Others  again 
would  assign  it  to  an  unknown  Japanese  artist  working 
in  the  style  of  the  Chinese  artists  of  the  Northern  Sung 
Dynasty.  These  latter  would  attribute  it  to  the  era  of 
the  Middle  Fujiwara  (986-1072).  To  these  also,  it  repre- 
sents an  early  phase  in  the  development  of  the  Takuma 
School  of  Buddhistic  painters,  which  had  come  into  ex- 
istence with  the  introduction  of  Sung  methods  during  the 
era  of  the  Middle  Fujiwara  (986-1072).  The  Takuma 
School  was  founded  by  Takuma  Tameto  (Sho-chi) 
toward  the  end  of  the  Fujiwara  Period  (1072-1155).  Of 
his  works  nothing  has  survived.  From  the  period  of  the 
Middle  Fujiwara  to  that  of  the  Kamakura  Shogunate 
(1185),  various  members  of  this  family  are  known, 
though  but  one,  Tamenari,  has  bequeathed  to  us  any 
work  of  importance.  Indeed,  Takuma  Tamenari,  of  tJji 
fame,  is  popularly  considered  the  true  founder  of  the 

98 


SHIN-YAKUSHIJI 

school.  But,  as  we  shall  see  later  on,  it  was  not  until  the 
coming  of  Takuma  Shoga  (late  i2th  century)  and  Ta- 
kuma  Eiga  (middle  isth  century),  that  painting  in  the 
Sung,  as  opposed  to  the  earlier  T'ang  style,  was  really 
perfected  and  popularized. 


99 


OJI 


THE  H6-6-DO,  BYO-DO-IN 

HISTORY  tells  us  that  in  the  year  1051,  the  aged 
Prime  Minister,  Fujiwara  Yorimichi,  did  a  most 
unusual  thing.  Under  the  name  of  the  Byo-do-in,  he 
presented  his  private  villa  to  Amida;  and,  two  years 
later,  erected  a  temple  beside  it. 

The  temple,  with  which  we  are  the  more  immediately 
concerned,  was  called  the  Amida-do,  and  later,  the  H6- 
6-do  or  "  Phoenix  Hall,"  on  account  of  its  unique  form. 
It  was  dedicated  in  the  year  1076;  that  is,  two  years  after 
the  Minister  Yorimichi's  death.  The  general  shape  of 
the  building  is  that  of  a  giant  phoenix  (ho-6),  the  bird 
of  lucky  augury;  hence  the  name. 

It  is  represented  as  spreading  its  wings,  as  if,  indeed, 
it  were  preparing  to  take  flight  across  the  broad  pond, 
which  fronts  it.  The  two-storied  building  in  front, 
Figure  90,  seen  to  the  right  in  the  illustration  —  repre- 
sents the  body,  the  spreading  wings  and  tail  being  indi- 
cated by  the  three  colonnaded  aisles  at  sides  and  rear. 
Two  splendid  bronze  phoenixes  cap  the  top  of  the  build- 
ing. The  erect  wings  of  these  noble  birds  are  so  ad- 
justed that,  at  the  merest  puff  of  wind,  they  simulate  the 
action  of  a  bird  in  flight,  Figure  93. 

The  exterior  of  the  building  is  painted  in  the  customary 
red  and  white,  but  within  it  are  still  preserved  some  hints 
of  its  former  beauty. 

Square  in  form,  and  unusually  high,  its  main  attraction 
today  consists  in  its  gorgeous  paneled  ceiling  and  huge 

103 


canopy.  Upon  these,  and  indeed  upon  the  columns  and 
altar  itself,  we  meet  with  a  new  type  of  decoration. 
Here  the  woodwork  is  richly  ornamented  with  floral  de- 
signs of  lotus  flowers  and  peonies  inlaid  in  mother-of- 
pearl.  Small  mirrors  too  play  an  important  part  in  the 
decoration;  the  silvery  gleam  of  their  polished  surfaces 
being  a  special  feature  in  the  panelled  canopy  which 
immediately  overhangs  the  main  deity  of  the  tern- 
pie. 

Raised  high  upon  a  huge  lotiform  stand,  itself  a  marvel 
of  fine  carving,  sits  a  huge  gilt-wood  Amida,  Figure  94. 
This  golden  colossus  is  represented  in  the  hieratic  pose; 
his  giant  form  being  thrown  into  high  relief  against  an 
unusually  rich  openwork  mandorla,  the  latter  embell- 
ished with  angels  and  clouds.  The  statue,  strongly 
reminiscent  of  Chinese  Buddhistic  art  of  T'ang,  is  com- 
monly attributed  to  the  famous  artist-sculptor  and  Ab- 
bot, Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.  The  grandeur  of  concep- 
tion, the  dignity  of  pose  and  the  superb  modelling  of 
the  golden  form  of  this  giant  might  well  lead  one  to  sup- 
pose that  the  great  Abbot  had  been  inspired  by  one  of 
Wu  Tao-tze's  pictorial  masterpieces.  As  to  the  richly 
gilt  lotiform  canopy  which  hangs  above  his  head,  it  is 
generally  conceded  to  be  the  most  beautiful  example  of 
wood-carving  preserved  from  Fujiwara  days.  On  three 
sides  of  the  walls  are  ranged  a  series  of  little  painted- 
wood  figures  of  the  Buddhist  angel-musicians  (seen  to 
right  and  left  of  Amida  in  the  illustration),  similarly  at- 
tributed to  Eshin  (early  nth  century). 

But  the  H6-6-do's  most  famous  possession  is  the  series 
of  panel-paintings  illustrating  the  eight  aspects  of  Shaka, 
and  the  nine  different  ways  in  which  Amida  and  the  bod- 

104 


THE  H6-6-D6,  BY6-D6-IN 

hisattva  came  to  meet  the  souls  of  the  righteous.  Of  the 
latter  series  one  panel  is  illustrated  in  Figure  95.  These 
paintings  are  to  be  found  upon  the  inner  side  of  the  doors 
and  upon  the  panels  behind  the  altar. 

The  artist  who  executed  these,  alas,  sadly  damaged 
compositions,  was  that  Takuma  Tamenari,  to  whom  we 
have  referred  when  discussing  the  Nirvana  painting  be- 
longing to  Shin-Yakushiji,  Nara.  As  Yorimichi  is  said 
to  have  expressed  amazement  at  the  rapidity  of  Tamen- 
ari's  work  —  he  having  outlined  one  of  the  huge  panel- 
designs  19  in  a  single  day  —  critics  have  argued  that  these 
paintings  were  executed  somewhere  between  1051  and 
1074,  for  in  the  latter  year  Yorimichi  died. 

Tamenari  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest  artists 
of  his  day.  We  know  that  he  was  Director  of  the  Art 
Bureau  at  Kofukuji,  a  position  of  great  responsibility. 
But  had  we  known  nothing  of  him,  his  skill  as  evinced 
in  these  compositions  would  have  made  us  realize  at  once 
that  none  but  a  master  could  have  produced  such  an  elab- 
orate, charmingly  grouped  and  brilliantly  colored  series 
of  paintings  as  these  at  tjji.  In  the  group  which  we 
have  chosen  to  illustrate,  Amida  sits  upon  a  high  lotiform 
throne,  which  floats  upon  the  clouds  at  the  head  of  a  long 
line  of  angel-musicians.  The  perspective  is  extraordi- 
narily well  defined ;  the  sole  hint  of  archaicism  being  the 
quaint  Noah's-ark  pine  trees  scattered  here  and  there 
upon  the  tops  of  the  little  T'ang-like  rounded  hills.  Of 
the  colors,  a  deep  red  and  brilliant  green  now  predomi- 
nate, though  pink,  brown,  blue,  orange  and  white  are  still 
visible.  And  where  the  paints  have  disappeared  one  can 
see  the  thin  black  outline  study  —  the  very  outlines  it 

19  Size,  13  feet  by  11  feet. 

105 


UJI 

may  be  to  which  Yorimichi  referred  when  expressing 
his  surprise  at  Tamenari's  rapidity  of  execution. 

The  great  bronze  bell  of  the  H6-6-do,  which  dates  from 
the  middle  part  of  the  eleventh  century,  has  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  one  of  the  best  bells  in  Japan.  It  is  of  un- 
usually graceful  form,  and  embellished  with  panel  designs 
in  low  relief  of  bodhisattva  and  sAisAi-lions,  enclosed  in 
bands  of  lotus-flowers  and  tendrils.  In  company  with  all 
the  bells  of  the  country,  it  hangs  in  a  wooden  shoro  or 
open  bell-tower,  and  like  them,  it  is  sounded  by  means 
of  a  long  wooden  pole,  which  hangs  from  ropes  or  chains 
beside  it,  Figure  96.  Its  tone  is  well-nigh  as  mellow  as 
that  of  Myoshinji,  Kyoto.  Thoroughly  Japanese,  in  its 
chaste  simplicity  and  beauty  of  proportion,  is  the  charm- 
ing stone  lantern  of  the  Byo-do-in.  Unfortunately,  very 
little  is  known  as  to  its  history ;  but  it  is  considered  to  be 
without  doubt  the  work  of  a  period  anterior  to  the 
twelfth  century,  Figure  97. 

In  the  Hondo,  two  famous  heroes  of  mediaeval  Japan 
are  immortalized.  The  first  is  that  Japanese  Leonidas, 
Yorimasa,  who,  with  scarcely  three  hundred  followers, 
held  the  t>ji  Bridge  against  the  full  force  of  the  Taira  in 
order  that  his  master,  the  Prince  Mochihito,  might  es- 
cape. And  here  he  ran  himself  through  with  his  sword, 
having  done  all  that  he  could,  vainly  as  Fate  would  have 
it,  to  save  the  Imperial  Prince. 

In  one  of  the  small  rooms  is  an  idealistic  but  most  nat- 
ural portrait  of  the  stern  old  samurai;  and,  as  a  fitting 
companion,  the  memorial-statuette  of  a  later  warrior,  and 
one  equally  famous,  the  devoted  Masashige  (Nanko), 
who  fought  so  tirelessly  in  the  cause  of  the  ill-fated  Em- 
peror G6-Daigo  (1319-1339).  Both  of  these  painted- 

106 


THE  H6-6-D6,  BY6-D6-IN 

wood  statuettes  appear  to  date  from  the  early  Tokugawa 
Period  (i7th  century). 

We  may  leave  the  Byo-do-in  to  its  decay  and  neglect, 
and  seek  the  Tsuji  tea-house,  which  we  shall  find  perched 
upon  the  bank  of  the  rushing  ftjigawa.  Here  one  may 
try  to  imagine  the  scene  in  those  distant  days  of  civil  war, 
when  the  samurai  forgot  his  weapons  for  a  moment,  and, 
together  with  a  score  of  boon  companions,  came  here  to 
sip  the  famous  "jewelled  dew";  to  boat  or  fish;  to  en- 
joy, in  fact,  some  little  relaxation  from  his  favorite 
pastime  of  head-hunting. 

The  near-by  Tsurido  was  their  place  of  meeting;  and 
to  it  they  returned  from  their  peaceful  outing ;  ready  with 
the  dawn  to  cut  one  another's  throats,  or,  with  the  dig- 
nity befitting  a  warrior  of  Japan,  to  perform  "  the  happy 
despatch  "  with  all  the  sang-froid  of  a  noble  going  to  his 
death  during  the  Reign  of  Terror. 


107 


KAMAKURA 


THE  DIABUTSU,  KOTOKU-IN 

"  And  whose  will  from  Pride  released, 
Contemning  neither  creed  nor  priest 
May  feel  the  soul  of  all  the  East 
About  him  at  Kamakura." 

IN  the  days  of  Yoritomo  (1147-1199)  the  little  fishing- 
village  of  Kamakura  suddenly  became  the  capital  of 
all  of  the  Eastern  Province,  the  capital  of  the  Kwanto. 
Surrounded  by  perhaps  half  a  million  souls,  here  the 
great  Shogun  swayed  the  destinies  of  Japan.  To  Yori- 
tomo, the  Emperor  and  his  Court  at  Kyoto  were  as  pup- 
pets, whom  he  could  have  made  or  unmade  by  the  lifting 
of  a  finger.  Then  it  might  well  have  been  said,  "  The 
Kwanto  can  match  the  whole  of  Japan;  yet  can  Kama- 
kura outstrip  the  Kwanto."  Then  a  Kamakura  lad  spoke 
of  this  city  of  warriors  with  all  the  pride  of  a  modern 
Satsuma  man  in  his  hero-breeding  province.  But  with 
Yoritomo's  death,  the  great  Hojo  family  of  near-by  Oda- 
wara  sprang  into  power  as  "  Shikken  "  or  "  Regents  "  for 
Yoritomo's  descendants ;  ruling  for  the  most  part  wisely 
and  well  for  close  on  one  hundred  and  fifty  years.  Under 
the  able  administration  of  the  Hojo  Shikken  all  hint  of 
luxury  and  ease  was  put  aside,  and  everything  was  done 
to  encourage  plainness  of  living  and  simplicity  of  faith. 
But  the  Hojo  in  turn  sank  into  obscurity  with  the  fall  of 
Hojo  Takatoki  in  1307.  Kamakura  was  taken  by  storm 
and  burnt  to  the  ground  in  1415,  and  a  like  disaster  over- 
took it  in  1526,  and  now,  at  the  present  day,  Kamakura 

in 


KAMAKURA 

has  almost  reverted  again  into  the  quiet  little  fishing-vil- 
lage so  suddenly  changed  and  magnified  by  Minamoto 
Yoritomo,  late  in  the  twelfth  century. 

Yet  Kamakura  still  preserves  a  few,  very  few,  survivals 
of  the  days  of  her  glory.  And  chief  among  these  is  the 
great  bronze  figure  of  Amida,  more  commonly  alluded  to 
as  the  Daibutsu  or  "  Great  Buddha." 

The  history  of  the  Kotoku-in's  famous  seated  statue  of 
Amida  is  in  many  ways  intimately  connected  with  that 
of  the  far  older  statue  in  Todaiji,  Nara,  (q.  v.). 

As  we  have  remarked,  when  dealing  with  that  ancient 
foundation,  the  Daibutsuden  of  Todaiji  was  burnt  down 
during  the  civil  war  of  1180.  The  then  Emperor,  Goshi- 
rakawa,  ordered  it  to  be  at  once  rebuilt  and  a  new  head 
to  be  cast  for  its  colossal  bronze  image  of  Rushana 
Buddha.  In  1195  the  new  temple  was  dedicated,  and, 
among  others,  Minamoto  Yoritomo,  founder  of  the  Kama- 
kura Shogunate,  was  invited  to  witness  the  ceremony. 
After  seeing  Nara's  giant  statue  of  Rushana,  Yoritomo 
decided  that  a  similar  figure  would  be  an  added  attraction 
in  his  then  distant  capital,  Kamakura.  But  he  died  be- 
fore he  was  able  to  put  his  plans  into  execution.  How- 
ever, an  old  admirer  of  the  dead  Shogun,  Inadano  Tsu- 
bone,  determined  to  have  her  lord's  wishes  carried  out. 
So,  having  obtained  the  approval  of  Masako  and  Yori- 
tsune,  Yoritomo 's  wife  and  son,  she  summoned  to  Kama- 
kura Jyoko,  a  priestly  pupil  of  the  architect  in  charge  of 
the  work  at  Todaiji,  that  he  might  assist  her  in  the  mak- 
ing of  a  colossal  image  of  Amida,  and  of  a  Great  Hall  or 
Daibutsuden  in  which  to  house  it.  Jyoko  knew  his  his- 
tory well.  He  remembered  that  in  Shomu's  day  (early 
8th  century)  the  Korean  priest,  Gyogi  Bosatsu,  had  gone 

112 


Fig.  81.  Meikira-Taisho.  Half- 
relievo  on  Wood.  First  Fujiwara 
Epoch,  888-986.  Formerly  in 
Kofukuji,  now  in  Nara  Imperial 
Museum. 


Fig.  82.  Shaka.  Wood,  gilt.  Attri- 
buted to  Jocho  (d.  1053).  Kofukuji, 
Nara. 

"Imperial  Museum's   Publications." 


Fig.   83.     Asanga.      Wood.      Attri- 
buted   to    Unkei,    circa     1208.     For- 
merly   in    Kofukuji,    now    Nara    Im- 
perial Museum. 
"Imperial   Museum's   Publications." 


Fig.  84.  Lantern  Upheld  by  the 
Demon  Tentoki.  Wood,  painted. 
By  Koben  in  1215.  Formerly  Kofu- 
kuji, now  Nara  Imperial  Museum. 


Fig.  85.  Painting  on  Silk.  Jiko- 
kuten.  Attributed  to  the  Eleventh 
Century.  Formerly  in  Kofukuji,  now 
Nara  Imperial  Museum. 

"Imperial  Museum's  Publication." 


Fig.  89.  Shaka.  Bronze.  At- 
tributed to  the  Sixth  or  Early 
Seventh  Century.  Shin-Yaku- 
shiji-Nara.  "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  86.  Portrait  in  Col- 
ours on  Silk  of  the  Chinese 
Priest  Jion  Daishi.  About 
the  Eleventh  Century.  Kofu- 
kuji, Nara. 

"Nippon    Seikwa." 


Fig.  88.  Yakushiji.  Wood,  gilt. 
Attributed  to  the  Tenth-Eleventh 
Centuries.  Shin- Yakushiji,  Nara. 


THE  DIABUTSU,  KOTOKU-IN 

about  the  country  gathering  contributions  toward  the 
Nara  Buddha  as  he  went.  Jyoko  imitated  him.  Thus, 
in  the  year  1243,  his  work  had  so  far  progressed,  that  he 
was  enabled  to  finish  a  huge  wooden  figure  of  Amida. 
But  in  1248  a  terrific  storm  completely  demolished  the 
temple  and  damaged  the  statue.  The  temple  was  again 
rebuilt,  and  the  wooden  statue  replaced  by  the  present 
bronze  one.  Finally,  the  last  great  hall  which  covered  it 
was  carried  out  to  sea,  as  the  result  of  one  of  the  frightful 
seismic  disturbances  or  typhoons  which  so  often  visit  the 
shores  of  Japan.  And,  from  that  day  to  this,  the  image 
has  been  left  quite  unprotected. 

As  we  see  in  our  illustration,  Figure  98,  the  statue  rests 
upon  a  circular  stone  platform.  It  was  cast  by  an  other- 
wise unknown  artist,  Ono  Goroyemon,  of  Kadzuka  Prov- 
ince. His  methods  were,  in  a  way,  similar  to  those  of 
Kimi-maru  of  Nara  Daibutsu  fame,  for  Amida  was  not 
cast  in  a  single  shell,  but  made  up  gradually  by  means  of 
sheets  of  bronze  cast  separately  and  soldered  together. 
The  joints  are  plainly  visible  today,  even  in  the  illustra- 
tion. The  height  of  the  statue  is  within  a  few  inches  of 
50  feet;  its  circumference  97  feet,  2  inches.  The  length 
of  its  face  is  over  eight  feet,  and  the  width  from  ear  to 
ear,  17  feet,  9  inches. 

Today,  the  huge  flat  stones  which  held  the  giant  col- 
umns of  the  fifteenth  century  Daibutsuden,  or  Hall  of  the 
Great  Buddha,  are  plainly  visible  here  and  there  in  the 
grove  of  peach  trees  that  now  surrounds  the  statue,  see 
Frontispiece.  And  Amida  sits  calmly  abstracted ;  bathed 
daily  in  the  warm  rays  of  that  boundless  light  and  glory 
which  he  so  grandly  typifies. 

A  short  avenue  of  stunted  pines  and  lichen-covered 

"3 


KAMAKtfRA 

cherries  conducts  to  the  raised  platform  upon  which  Great 
Buddha  sits.  The  site  is  far  back,  between  two  low, 
wooded  hills;  where  nothing  breaks  the  peace  and  quiet 
of  his  surroundings  but  the  soft  cooing  of  the  temple 
doves.  The  statue  needs  no  mandorla  or  nimbus  to 
frame  its  graceful  outlines ;  for,  in  spring,  its  silvery  form 
is  thrown  into  soft  relief  against  a  background  of  heavy- 
petalled  cherry  blossoms.  In  the  winter  months  too, 
pink  and  white  camellias  nod  heavily  near  its  giant  pedes- 
tal. 

More  than  any  other  artistic  treasure  of  its  kind  in 
Japan,  the  statue  of  Amida  needs  to  be  seen,  and  seen 
often,  to  be  fully  appreciated.  No  Western  pen  can  do 
justice  to  the  consummate  beauty  of  its  pose  and  expres- 
sion ;  for  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  this  matchless 
figure  combines  within  itself  all  the  essential  elements  of 
oriental  beauty,  as  inspired  by  the  doctrines  of  esoteric 
Buddhism. 

HASE-NO-KWANNON 

Weather-stained  and  gray  with  lichen,  the  ancient  tem- 
ple of  Hase  is  picturesquely  situated  high  up  against  the 
steep  slope  of  a  wooded  hill. 

Its  wide  and  mossy  terrace  commands  a  most  extensive 
view  of  the  crescent-shaped  village  and  hollow  bay  of 
Kamakura.  Indeed,  from  this  vantage-point,  one's  eye 
may  follow  the  rocky  yellow  coast-line  as  far  as  the  scat- 
tered groups  of  tree-embowered  villas  that  proclaim 
Hayama  the  Beautiful. 

Hase  temple  is  reached  by  a  short  flight  of  stone  steps 
above  which  sprays  of  pink  and  white  camellias  hang  in 
opulent  and  heavy-headed  clusters.  From  a  shrine  about 

114 


HASE-N6-KWANNON 

half-way  up,  a  gilt-wood  Shaka  —  dimly  seen  behind  tall 
candlesticks  and  artificial  flowers  —  gazes  out  and  beyond 
one  with  an  expression  of  sentient  abstraction.  As  one 
reaches  the  artificial  platform  upon  which  the  temple 
stands,  the  deep,  yet  mellow,  tone  of  Hase's  bell  booms 
out  among  the  gentle  hollows  of  the  surrounding  hills.  A 
shaven-headed  priest,  clad  in  a  superb  orange  robe,  smiles 
a  kindly  welcome,  as  he  slowly  bends  towards  the  knotted 
rope  that  swings  its  wooden  sounding-pole.  Once  again 
that  soft  and  silvery  note  reverberates  among  the  hills; 
or  rolls  far  out  along  the  curving  shore  of  Yuigahama  to 
swell  and  die  away,  in  ever  diminishing  yet  most  rhyth- 
mic cadence,  far  off  upon  its  quiet  waters.  It  is  hard  to 
realize  that  this  quiet  little  village  could  ever  have  been 
great  Yoritomo's  capital,  that  vast  and  densely  populated 
city,  which  history  assures  us  boasted  a  million  souls, 
and  more! 

The  Temple  of  Hase  faces  the  village.  Square  in  form, 
it  is  of  more  than  usual  solid  construction.  Its  many 
wooden  columns,  half  hidden  in  the  stucco  walls,  its  out- 
flaring  brackets,  and  its  steep  thatched  roof,  give  one  an 
impression  of  rude  strength  coupled  with  somewhat  rustic 
simplicity.  Yet  the  deep  green  of  the  dense  foliage 
above  it,  and  the  groves  of  cherry  trees  and  oranges  on 
either  side,  serve  to  soften  its  somewhat  grim  outline. 

The  main  deity  of  the  temple  is  said  to  date  from  the 
end  of  the  eighth  century.  Unfortunately  Kwannon  is 
hidden  behind  a  wooden  partition,  which  rises  from  floor 
to  ceiling  immediately  behind  a  small  gilt-wood  statue  of 
the  same  Mother-goddess,  which  stands  on  the  main  altar. 
To  reach  it,  we  pass  a  remarkably  good  bronze  statue  of 
the  God  of  Wisdom  (left),  a  gift  of  the  Ashikaga  Shogun, 

"5 


KAMAKURA 

Yoshimasa  (d.  1490).  To  see  the  great  Kwannon  of 
Hase,  one  must  enter  a  low  opening  in  a  partition  to  the 
left  of  the  building  and  inside.  Here  the  attendant  priest 
lights  a  long  tallow  candle,  and  conducts  to  the  golden 
feet  of  the  otherwise  unseen  goddess.  He  lifts  a  small 
lantern,  which  ascends  slowly  and  jerkily  towards  the 
rafters  at  the  end  of  a  primitive  pulley,  thus  exposing  the 
golden  bulk  of  the  giantess  in  sections.  At  one  moment 
one  catches  a  glimpse  of  the  face,  with  its  large 
eyes,  that  seem  to  pierce  the  inky  blackness  and  to  fix 
themselves  protectingly  upon  the  dull  gray  roofs  of  the 
huddling  little  village  below.  For  centuries  has  the  God- 
dess of  the  Eastern  Sea  listened  to  the  prayers  and  vows 
of  the  fisher-folk  of  tempest-harried  Kamakura.  Another 
jerk  of  the  swaying  light  reveals  Kwannon's  colossal 
headdress,  her  heavily  ringed  throat,  hung  with  its  jewel- 
led ornaments  and  the  huge  rosary  and  staff  which  she 
carries  in  her  hands.  And  yet  in  spite  of  her  giant  bulk  — 
greatly  magnified  by  her  murky  surroundings  —  in  spite 
of  the  undoubted  majesty  of  her  pose,  Kwannon  is  a  dis- 
appointment. One  cannot  but  feel  that  Hase's  priests 
have  made  a  great  mistake  thus  to  hide  her.  For,  were 
the  clumsy  partition  removed,  her  thirty-odd  feet  of  gol- 
den lacquer  would,  indeed,  provide  a  brilliant  spectacle. 

JUFUKUJI 

A  simple  thatch-roofed  little  structure  is  Jufukuji.  It 
is  approached  by  a  small  gate  and  an  avenue  of  overhang- 
ing pines.  In  the  square  about  it  stand  many  gnarled 
and  twisted  cedars,  that  may  well  date  from  the  period  of 
its  foundation  under  the  Shogun  Sanetomo  (1203-1319). 
Upon  entering  its  dark  shadows  one  is  immediately  con- 

116 


TEMPLE  OF  HACHIMAN 

fronted  by  huge  and  menacing  Ni-6.  So  colossal  are  their 
proportions;  so  contorted  their  Herculean  frames;  so 
ferocious  the  gleam  in  their  crystal  eyes,  that  one  halts 
involuntarily  upon  the  threshold.  These  two  giants  were 
removed  from  the  Hachiman  Temple  at  the  Restoration, 
as  being  out  of  place  in  a  Shinto  temple.  Though  said 
to  be  from  the  hand  of  tJnkei,  they  are  more  probably  by 
a  somewhat  later  follower  of  his  and  may  be  attributed  to 
the  fourteenth  century. 

The  main  deity  of  this  temple  is  a  seated  figure 
of  Shaka,  a  gilt-bronze  lacquer  statue  that  dates, 
no  doubt,  from  about  the  twelfth  century.  To  the 
right  sit  red  painted  figures  of  the  Deva  Kings,  which 
are  doubtless  of  Ashikaga  date;  to  the  left,  a  number  of 
gorgeous  gold-lacquer  figures  of  Amida,  the  gift  of  va- 
rious Shoguns  of  the  Tokugawa  Dynasty  of  the  seven- 
teenth-eighteenth centuries.  An  exquisite  little  memo- 
rial-statue in  painted-wood  is  that  of  the  young  and  dash- 
ing Shogun,  Sanetomo  (left).  This  is  doubtless  a  work 
of  the  Ashikaga  Period,  when  many  such  memorials 
were  made. 

TEMPLE  OF  HACHIMAN 

Founded  by  Minamoto  Yoriyoshi,  in  1063,  the  pic- 
turesquely situated  temple  of  Hachiman  became  the  most 
popular  shrine  in  the  Kwanto 20  under  the  famous  Sho- 
gun, Yoritomo,  1192-1199.  It  is  dedicated  to  Hachiman, 
a  Chinese  name  of  the  Emperor  6jin  (270-310),  Japanese 
God  of  War.  In  point  of  fact  history  records  no  warlike 
exploits  of  Yahata,  as  he  is  called  in  Japan.  But  accord- 
so  Eight  Provinces  embracing  some  12,000  square  miles  of  fertile  country 
extending  around  and  between  the  head  of  Tokyo  Bay  and  the  Chichibu  and 
Nikkd  Monasteries. 

117 


KAMAKtfRA 

ing  to  Chamberlain,  it  may  be  owing  to  the  traditional 
fact  that  his  mother,  the  famous  Empress  Jingo,  carried 
him  for  three  years  in  her  womb  during  which  time  she 
directed  the  military  operations  of  the  Japanese  army  in 
its  invasions  of  Silla,  one  of  the  three  divisions  of  ancient 
Korea.  This  occurred  about  200  A.  D. 

The  Temple  of  Hachiman  is  an  example  of  what  is 
called  Ryobu-Shinto  architecture,  for  this  temple,  until 
the  Restoration,  tolerated  the  mixture  of  Shinto  and  Bud- 
dhism which  that  title  indicates.  This  teaching,  as  we 
have  already  seen,  was  introduced  by  the  famous  Korean 
priest,  Gyogi  (670-749),  whose  superb  black-bronzes  we 
have  already  admired  at  Yakushiji,  Nara.  By  this  doc- 
trine Shinto  and  Buddhist  deities  were  in  a  way  com- 
bined; for  the  gods  of  the  primitive  (Shinto)  cult  were  to 
be  considered  as  temporary  manifestations  of  Buddha. 
The  natural  result  of  this  teaching  allowed  the  Buddhists 
to  worm  their  way  into  the  Shinto  shrines,  which  were 
forced  to  support  them,  a  state  of  affairs  which  continued 
from  Gyogi's  day  down  to  the  Revolution  of  1868. 

Today  a  pine-set  avenue  leads  straight  up  from  the 
sea  to  the  wide  court-yard  that  fronts  the  temple.  Three 
fine  torii  span  it  at  intervals.  In  the  court  itself  stands 
the  Shrine  Wakamiya,  dedicated  to  a  son  of  the  War-God 
Cjin,  and  beyond  it  the  Shirahata  Jinga,  dedicated  to  the 
Warrior  Yoritomo,  founder  of  Kamakura.  A  steep  flight 
of  stone  steps  conducts  to  the  Shrine  of  Hachiman  and 
surrounding  it  there  stands  an  open  colonnade.  In  this 
are  preserved  a  number  of  splendid  lacquered  and  gilt- 
bronze  palanquins,  a  good  collection  of  ancient  costumes 
and  armour,  and  a  memorial-statue  in  painted-wood  of 
Sumiyoshi,  attributed  to  ttnkei  (i2th  century).  A  suit 

118 


ENNOjI 

of  armour  here  exhibited  is  said  to  have  been  worn  by  the 
Shogun  Yoritomo  himself  (i2th  century).  Of  ana- 
tomical, or  should  we  say,  craniological  interest,  is  the 
skull  of  the  Shogun  —  when  a  youth! 

Retracing  our  steps,  we  turn  (right)  from  the  pic- 
turesque lotus  ponds  and  quaint  humped-backed  stone 
bridge,  and  continue  on  a  half  mile  or  so  to  the  little  tem- 
ple, Ennoji. 

ENN6JI 

The  temple  Ennoji,  a  dingy  and  insignificant  wooden 
structure,  was  founded  by  the  priest  Dokai  Zushi.  It 
was  brought  here  from  a  height  overlooking  the  sea  at 
Arai,  at  the  command  of  the  Hojo  Regent  Tokiyori  in  the 
year  1254.  The  present  tree-embowered  building  is  of 
comparatively  late  date,  since  it  was  repaired  in  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  centuries.  Thus,  as  an  indiffer- 
ent example  of  Zenshu  architecture,  it  would  prove  of 
very  little  interest  to  the  average  sight-seer,  were  it  not 
for  its  remarkable  wooden  statue  of  Emma-6,  one  of  the 
most  important  works  of  the  founder  of  the  Kamakura 
Schools  of  Sculptors,  tlnkei  (flourished  from  1190-1210). 

This  statue  of  the  "Regent  of  Hell"  may  well  be 
termed  a  "holy  horror,"  his  expression  being  one  of 
most  savage  fierceness  and  cruelty.  As  judge,  he  wears 
the  black  beret.  A  white  robe  envelops  his  ample  form 
in  its  voluminous  folds.  In  his  right  hand  he  grips  a 
baton.  His  face  is  brick-red  —  to  the  Oriental,  a  symbol 
of  strength  and  courage.  His  crystal  eyes  glow  beneath 
overhanging  and  bushy  eyebrows.  The  thin-lipped 
mouth  is  so  drawn  back  upon  the  bloody  gums,  the  knot- 
ted muscles  of  the  swarthy  cheeks  so  tense,  that  this 

119 


KAMAKtfRA 

ferocious  judge  of  the  dead  may  fairly  be  said  to  snarl. 
Temple  tradition  would  have  us  believe  that  trnkei  after 
death  appeared  before  the  Regent  to  be  judged.  When 
Emma-6  had  allowed  thikei  to  gaze  for  a  time  upon  him, 
he  thus  addressed  him :  "  Thou  hast  carved  many  images 
of  me  while  living,  but  never  a  true  one.  Now  that  thou 
hast  met  me  face  to  face,  return  to  earth  and  show  me  as 
I  am." 

Against  the  white  walls  of  the  dingy  hall  sit  huddled 
dust-covered  figures  of  the  devaraga.  These  date  for  the 
most  part  from  the  Tokugawa  days,  though  in  certain 
cases  the  heads  at  least  belong  to  the  Kamakura  Period 
(1185-1333).  To  the  left  of  the  main  shrine  sits  the 
wrinkled  hag  "  Shozuka-no-Baba,"  another  remarkable 
piece  of  realistic  wood-carving  attributed  to  ftnkei  (i2th 
century).  To  fully  appreciate  the  evil  expression  of  this 
withered  witch,  we  should  know  that  Shozuka  is  the 
demon  who  robs  dead  children  of  their  garments,  and  sets 
them  to  piling  up  stones  upon  the  banks  of  the  River-of- 
the-Dead,  Sai-no-Kawara.  Thus,  Unkei  has  modelled 
her,  as  the  expectant  Shozuka,  watching  the  tearful  on- 
coming of  her  next  little  spirit-victim.  The  image  of  the 
fierce  little  demon,  which  formerly  stood  to  the  right  of 
the  main  shrine,  and  facing  Shozuka,  has  now  been  in- 
stalled in  the  priest's  house  near  by.  Again  attributed 
to  tfnkei,  this  splendid  bit  of  wood-carving  does  indeed 
reveal  a  master's  hand.  For  one  must  indeed  marvel  at 
the  truthful  rendering  of  the  supermuscular  form  and  at 
the  truth  and  dexterity  evinced  in  the  modelling  of  the 
misshapen  bullet-head,  set  low  upon  a  thick  and  sinewy 
neck.  It  is  certainly  to  be  attributed  to  one  of  the  best 
of  the  Kamakura  men,  if  not  indeed  to  ftnkei,  himself. 

120 


KENCHOJI 

KENCHOJI 

The  age  of  the  Hojo  Regents  (i3th-i4th  Centuries) 
witnessed  the  coming  to  Kamakura  of  priests  of  the  Zen 
or  "  meditative  doctrine "  of  Buddhism.  It  was  first 
brought  to  Kamakura  by  the  Sung  (Chinese)  priest 
Doryu,  first  Abbot  of  Kenchoji.  Doryu  came  to  Japan  at 
the  express  invitation  of  the  Hojo  Regent  Tokiyori  (1246- 
1263),  himself  a  student  of  the  Zen  teaching.  As  we  have 
already  seen,  the  doctrine  taught  by  this  sect  claimed  that 
salvation  was  to  be  sought  within  one's  own  soul;  and 
that  the  means  thereto  was  by  prayer,  fasting,  and  above 
all,  meditation  upon  the  life  and  teachings  of  Buddha. 
For  the  masses,  there  was  ever  the  Jodo  doctrine,  which 
declared  that  true  salvation  might  be  just  as  easily  ob- 
tained by  calling  upon  the  name  of  Amida.  In  fact,  with 
the  followers  of  the  Jodo,  or  "  Pure  Land  "  sect,  a  single 
exclamation  of  namu  Amida  butsu  or  "  I  commit  myself 
to  thee,  O  Amida,"  was  considered  sufficient  to  make  one 
worthy  of  being  born  anew  in  Amida's  "  Golden  Para- 
dise of  the  West."  Zen  Buddhism,  the  Buddhism  of  cul- 
ture, was  practised  at  Kenchoji  and  Engakuji  here  at 
Kamakura;  that  of  the  lower  orders,  the  simple  Jodo 
creed,  in  the  Temple  of  Komyoji,  at  the  other  end  of  the 
town. 

Kenchoji's  splendid  old  portal,  and  the  Hondo  beyond 
it,  is  well-nigh  hidden  by  a  thick  grove  of  tall  and  slender 
cryptomerias.  As  we  pass  beneath  its  painted  beams  we 
may  remark  the  triple  triangle,  crest  of  the  Hojo  family  of 
near  by  6dawara.  For  the  Regent  Tokiyori,  one  of  its 
most  illustrious  sons,  having  received  bosatsukai,  as  the 
result  of  a  pilgrimage  to  China  and  researches  into  the 

121 


KAMAKtfRA 

doctrine  of  Zen,  erected  the  Kenchoji,  about  the  middle  of 
the  thirteenth  century. 

The  Hondo  is  not  visible  at  first,  as  its  low  roof  is  hid- 
den behind  the  huge  portal,  a  great  wooden  structure 
capped  by  an  abruptly  sloping  thatched  roof.  From  be- 
low its  overhanging  eaves,  pigeons,  swifts  and  swal- 
lows come  and  go  with  almost  mechanical  regularity. 
As  we  approach  the  portal,  by  a  lane  of  blossoming 
cherry  trees,  we  find  the  main  temple  well-nigh  buried  in 
splendid  pines  and  ancient  junipers.  Certainly  four  of 
these  magnificent  trees  may  well  date  from  the  period  of 
the  foundation  of  the  temple,  in  1254.  Yet,  the  Hondo 
is  not  the  original  building  erected  by  Tokiyori,  for  that 
was  burnt  to  the  ground  in  the  year  1415.  The  present 
building  dates  from  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  when  at  the  command  of  one  of  the  Tokugawa 
Shoguns,  it  was  removed  from  Mount  Kuno  and  re^ 
erected. 

The  exterior  is  of  the  simplest  architectural  design,  as 
represented  by  the  taste  of  the  Zenshu,  but  within  it  con- 
tains a  number  of  rare  decorations  and  accessories.  The 
roof,  with  its  panelled  and  richly  painted  ceiling,  rests 
upon  a  series  of  wooden  columns,  each  rounded  from  a 
giant  shaft  of  cryptomeria.  The  floral  designs,  which  em- 
bellish the  ceiling,  painted  with  a  full  palette,  in  square 
panels  on  a  dark  blue  ground,  are  from  the  hand  of  Kano 
Tannyu  (1602-1674),  as  is  the  canopy,  which  seems  to 
tremble  beneath  the  writhings  and  contortions  of  a  fire- 
breathing  dragon. 

One  other  great  artist,  and  that  a  sculptor,  assisted  in 
the  beautifying  of  the  interior  of  this  building.  For  here 
we  may  also  admire  three  panels  by  Jingoro,  the  left- 

122 


KENCHOjI 

handed  (1590-1634).  A  single  panel  is  dimly  seen  above 
the  entrance-door,  and  two  others,  carved  with  exquisite 
openwork  designs  of  /zd/zo-birds  and  flowers,  are  inserted 
in  the  woodwork  immediately  above  the  head  of  the  co- 
lossal Jizo,  the  main  deity  of  the  temple.  This  huge  figure 
is  known  as  the  Saita  Jizo,  for  it  was  owing  to  the  pro- 
tecting guardianship  of  this  famous  statue  that  Saita 
Sanuma,  a  local  celebrity,  was  saved  from  an  ignoble 
death.  The  statue  has  been  attributed  to  Eshin  Sozu 
(942-1017),  but  the  coarseness  and  heaviness  of  the  fea- 
tures, the  clumsiness  of  the  modelling,  would  alone  dis- 
credit such  an  attribution.  Rather  may  we  see  in  it  a 
work  of  the  twelfth  century.  And  Saita  Sanuma,  un- 
like the  generality  of  mankind,  returned  his  god  due 
praise  for  blessings  received.  Thus,  the  four  hundred 
little  gilt-wood  figures  of  Jizo,  seen  at  each  side  of  great 
Jizo's  head,  were  placed  here  as  a  visible  sign,  at  once  of 
his  thankfulness,  and  of  his  consistency. 

In  a  shrine  to  the  right  sits  the  extraordinary  memorial- 
statuette  of  the  Hojo  Regent,  Tokiyori  (1246-1263),  Fig- 
ure 99.  The  statuette  is  carved  in  the  natural  wood,  and 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  things  about  it,  is  the  fact 
that  Tokiyori  is  not  represented  in  priestly  garb,  in  com- 
mon with  other  memorial  figures,  but  wears  the  grotesque 
hunting  costume  of  his  day.  Thus  upon  the  top  of  his 
egg-shaped  head,  rests  the  quaint  eboshi-cap ;  his  right 
hand  grips  the  kotsu  or  baton.  His  robes  are  heavy  in 
texture,  the  arrangement  of  their  folds  being  simply  but 
most  naturally  indicated.  The  absurdly  baggy  trousers 
are  the  last  touch  to  what  at  first  strikes  one  as  a  carica- 
ture, and  yet  when  we  examine  the  face,  we  feel  that  we 
have  here,  undoubtedly,  a  faithful  likeness  of  this  Japa- 

123 


KAMAKtJRA 

nese  Haroun-al-Raschid.  For  Tokiyori,  as  Governor  of 
Sagami  Province,  was  accustomed  to  roam  about  the 
country  incognito.  Thus,  like  the  great  Sultan,  he  was 
enabled  to  acquaint  himself,  at  first  hand,  with  the  needs 
and  opinions  of  his  people.  And  the  many  humorous 
incidents  connected  with  this  Bohemian  sort  of  life  ap- 
pealed strongly  to  the  Regent,  if  we  may  judge  by  the 
dry  humour  expressed  in  his  broad  face,  and  the  twinkle 
of  his  beady  little  eyes,  surrounded  as  they  are,  by  a 
whole  colony  of  "  laughing  wrinkles."  It  is  indeed  hard 
to  believe  that  Tokiyori  was  an  abstemious  soul  and 
that  he  was  "  so  given  to  meditation  upon  the  life  and 
teachings  of  Shaka  that  he  was  often  found  in  a  trance." 
He  was  also  said  to  be  an  adept  in  the  painting  of  Bud- 
dhist pictures,  though  nothing  is  said  of  his  skill  in  sculp- 
ture, in  spite  of  the  fact  that  temple  tradition  attributes 
to  him  this  very  statue.  But  the  figure  is  more  probably 
the  work  of  one  of  the  master-sculptors  of  ftnkei's  school, 
executed  not  long  after  his  death  in  1263. 

Of  pictorial  art  Kenchoji  today  possesses  but  few  paint- 
ings of  note.  But  we  may  mention  the  six-fold  screen, 
attributed  to  Sesshu;  a  paper  screen  embellished  with 
landscapes  and  lake  views  in  monochrome  ink ;  a  fine  old 
monochrome  of  Daruma,  by  a  Zen  artist  of  the  four- 
teenth-fifteenth centuries,  and  a  good  painting  of  rakan 
in  colors,  a  portrait  which  shows  strongly  the  style  of 
the  Southern  Sung  artists  of  China.  Then  there  still 
exists  the  monochrome  on  silk  by  Keishokei,  Figure  100, 
which  represents  an  idealistic  conception  of  Anoku,  one 
of  the  thirty-three  forms  of  Kwannon.  Of  Keishokei, 
the  artist,  very  little  is  known,  except  that  he  came  of  a 
branch  of  the  family  of  Tsubura,  an  artist  of  Utsunom- 

124 


KENCHOJI 

iya,  and  was  given  the  position  of  secretary  of  Kenchoji. 
He  modeled  himself  upon  the  style  of  Muchi,  a  famous 
monochrome  artist  of  the  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  of 
China.  And  such  was  his  skill  in  the  painting  of  a  Bud- 
dhist picture,  as  for  example  the  one  now  under  dis- 
cussion, that  his  work  was  said  to  equal,  if  it  did  not  in- 
deed surpass,  the  productions  of  Muchi  himself. 

The  sumi  or  monochrome  style  of  painting,  affected  by 
the  Zen  artists  of  China's  Sung  Dynasty,  was  doubtless 
brought  into  Japan  under  the  Hojo  Regents  of  Kama- 
kura.  Yet,  it  did  not  reach  its  highest  development  in 
Japan,  until  the  coming  of  the  great  Ashikaga  Shoguns 
Yoshimitsu  and  Yoshimasa  (isth  Century). 

Behind  the  Kondo  is  a  shrine  dedicated  to  Kwannon, 
a  little  building  remarkable  for  its  elaborate  use  of  rare 
woods  and  inlays.  Upon  the  hill  behind,  buried  in  trees, 
stands  the  temple  Sen-Subun,  which  is  well  worth  a  visit 
upon  the  fourth  of  February.  For  then  takes  place  the 
cleansing  of  the  temple,  or  of  the  homes  of  the  faithful, 
should  they  wish  it,  a  cleansing  not  from  dust  but 
demons!  This  is  done  by  means  of  dry  beans,  blessed  by 
the  high-priest  of  Kenchoji,  and  scattered  about  temple 
or  dwelling,  wherever  required.  The  processions,  cos- 
tumes and  weird  music  incidental  to  this  veritable  "  bean- 
feast "  are  most  interesting,  as  indeed  are  many  other  in- 
stances connected  with  this  rarely  amusing  festival. 

Beyond  Kenchoji  stands  the  picturesquely  situated 
temple  of  Enryakuji,  in  which  is  preserved  as  its  most 
sacred  treasure  a  "tooth  of  Buddha/'  The  site  is  well 
worthy  of  a  visit,  if  only  for  a  view  of  its  charming  sur- 
roundings. It  contains  nothing  of  great  interest  artistic- 
ally, though  the  thatch-roofed  building,  known  as  the 

125 


KAMAKtiRA 

Shari-den  or  Place  of  the  Relic,  is  of  interest,  as  it  pre- 
serves, in  all  its  purity,  the  Sung  (Chinese)  style  of  Zen 
architecture. 

K6MY6JI 

At  the  extreme  eastern  horn  of  the  crescent-shaped 
Bay  of  Kamakura,  buried  in  a  cluster  of  ancient  pines  and 
cedars,  stands  the  Buddhist  Temple  of  Komyoji.  It  is 
dedicated  to  the  simple  doctrine  of  the  Jodo,  or  "  Pure 
Land  "  sect  of  Buddhism.  As  we  have  already  seen,  this 
sect  preached  popular  Buddhism,  a  Buddhism  of  the 
masses.  To  further  the  propagation  of  this  simple  doc- 
trine, the  Ho  jo  Regent,  Tsunetoki  (1243-1263),  com- 
manded this  temple  to  be  built.  Its  Kondo  possesses  a 
number  of  gilt  and  painted-wood  statues  of  Ashikaga  and 
Early  Tokugawa  date  (iGth-iyth  Centuries),  but  its  fam- 
ous artistic  treasures  consist  of  two  rolls  of  paintings  on 
paper,  the  Tayema  Mandala.  Attributed  traditionally  to 
that  great  Tosa  artist,  Sumdyoshi  Keion  (isth  Century), 
these  paintings  illustrate  an  incident  in  the  life  of  a 
daughter  of  the  Fujiwara  family,  Chujo-hime,  by  name, 
who,  during  the  reign  of  the  Empress  Koken  (middle 
8th  Century),  decided  to  enter  a  nunnery.  A  short  time 
after  taking  this  step  she  desired  to  weave  one  of  the 
"  Embroidery  Pictures  of  Paradise  "  so  often  mentioned 
in  the  Chronicles  of  Ancient  Japan.  So  she  prayed  that 
Amida  and  Kwannon  would  present  themselves  at  the 
nunnery  in  the  habit  of  the  order,  and  assist  her  in  this 
pious  undertaking.  The  designs  were  to  be  woven  in 
lotus-fibre,  and  in  Figure  101  we  see  Fujiwara  Toyo- 
nari,  listing  the  bunches  of  lotus-stems,  as  they  are 
taken  into  the  nunnery.  Toyonari  and  his  assistant  wear 

126 


K6KUONJI 

the  quaint  eboshi-cap  and  the  former  a  brown  coat,  baggy 
white  trousers  and  black  shoes.  The  other  figures  are 
all  in  white,  brown  or  blue,  while  the  brilliantly  clad  little 
Chujo-hime  lends  a  warm  note  of  color  to  this  subdued 
but  most  effective  sketch.  The  second  illustration,  Fig- 
ure 102,  presents  a  truly  Jodoesque  scene  from  the  second 
roll;  a  tender  Buddhist  theme,  in  which  Amida,  sur- 
rounded by  musician-angels,  descends  upon  the  clouds  to 
welcome  the  spirit  of  the  dying  girl.  Here,  the  grouping 
of  the  figures,  their  graceful  poses,  tender  expressions  and 
the  splendid  handling  of  the  soft-pictured  robes  and  airy 
banderoles,  evince  a  sympathy  with  the  subject  and  a 
deftness  of  handling  that  leaves  little  to  be  desired.  The 
drawing  of  Amida's  robe  is  a  dream  of  rhythmic  perfec- 
tion. 

Of  the  artist,  Keion,  we  know  very  little.  We  are  in- 
deed in  doubt  as  to  whether  he  is  in  very  truth  the  author 
of  the  rolls  in  question.  As  to  the  form  of  the  paintings, 
picture-rolls  were  known  toward  the  end  of  the  First  Nara 
Epoch  (708-749).  Painted  from  time  to  time,  during  the 
whole  of  the  Fujiwara  Period,  they  reach  their  greatest 
development  with  the  rise  of  the  Kamakura  Shoguns 
(1186-1333),  at  which  date  Keion  lived. 

K6KUONJI 

The  approach  to  Kokuonji  takes  one  past  the  large 
wooden  torn,  the  picturesque,  curved  stone  bridge  and 
avenue  of  cedars  which  front  the  ascent  to  the  Temple  of 
Hachiman,  God  of  War.  Immediately  before  the  bridge 
we  turn  to  the  right  and  once  beyond  the  village  proper, 
soon  reach  a  tall  stone  shaft,  seen  on  our  left,  which  marks 
a  path  leading  to  the  tomb  of  Kamakura's  most  famous 

127 


KAMAKURA 

son,  Minamoto  Yoritomo,  the  first  and  only  great  Kama- 
kura  Shogun.  As  we  might  expect,  the  hero  Yoritomo's 
tomb  is  of  the  simplest.  A  steep  flight  of  stone  steps 
leads  to  a  railed  stupa  over  which  the  spreading  branches 
of  a  cherry  tree  cast  a  welcome  shade.  No  inscription 
marks  the  spot,  yet  Yoritomo  is  still  remembered,  prayed 
to,  indeed,  as  witness  the  tiny  portions  of  rice  and  the 
well-worn  coins  that  are  ever  renewed  along  the  lichen- 
covered  rail  which  surrounds  his  monument. 

Beyond  Yoritomo's  tomb  lies  the  Temple  of  Tenji- 
sama,  buried  deep  in  cedars.  Further  on,  rising  from  a 
grove  of  cherry  trees,  is  the  Shinto  temple  of  Kamakura- 
no-Miya,  a  tardy  memorial  to  an  unhappy  Prince  of  the 
royal  house,  who  dared  to  scheme  against  the  throttling 
power  of  the  Kamakura  Shogunate. 

Turning  to  the  left  we  pass  a  broken  cannon,  one  of 
Japan's  well-earned  trophies  of  the  war  with  Russia,  and 
soon  reach  the  short  avenue  of  cherries,  plums,  and 
cryptomerias  that  conducts  to  the  seemingly  forgotten 
temple  of  Kokuonji. 

The  foundation  of  this  little  temple  of  the  Nicheren  sect 
of  Buddhism,  a  local  sect,  dates  from  the  Hojo  days,  and 
though  of  little  interest  in  itself,  it  still  contains  many 
carved  and  painted  wood  statues  attributed  to  Onkei. 
Here,  gray  with  neglect,  sit  the  figures  of  the  Yakushi 
trinity,  three  remarkably  graceful  figures  thrown  into 
strong  relief  against  superb  openwork  mandorla  of  that 
tapering  oval  form  called  funa-goko,  or  "boat-shaped" 
by  the  Japanese.  On  each  side  of  the  dais  and  backed 
against  the  temple  walls  stands  a  line  of  rickety  Juniten 
of  late  Ashikaga  date.  A  realistic  memorial-statue  of  an 
early  abbot  of  the  temple  is  seen  to  the  right  of  the  en- 

128 


Fig.   87.     Shin-Yakushiji.     Erected  in  the 

7th  year  of  the  Tempyo  Era    (745).     Nara. 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.   90.     Vajra,      Attendant      of 
Yakushi.     Clay.     First  Nara  Epoch, 
708-749.      Shin-Yakushiji,    Nara. 
'  'Imperial  Museum's  Publications.' ' 


Fig.  92.  The  H6-6-do  or  "Phoenix 
Hall."  Originally  a  Palace  of  the  Fuji- 
wara  Family.  Erected  1053.  Uji. 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.  95.  Panel  Painting.  By  Taku- 
ma  Tamenari,  about  1051-1074.  Hd-6-do, 
Uji.  "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Bronze     Bell     Cast 

Byodo-in,  Uji. 
"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  91.  Painting  in  Colours  on 
Silk,  Nehanso  or  "Death  (nirvana) 
of  Shaka."  Attributed  to  Yen  Hui 
(Ganki),  Yuan  Dynasty.  Shin-Yaku- 
shiji.  "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.   93.     Weather  Vane.     Bronze, 
about   1050.     H6-6-do,   Uji. 

'  'Nippon   Seikwa. ' ' 


Fig.   94.      Amida.     Wood,  gilt.     By 

Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.      H6-6-do,  Uji. 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.  97.  Hexagonal  Stone  Lan- 
tern. Eleventh  Century  (?).  Byo- 
do-in,  Uji. 

"Nippon  Seikwa.' 


KOKUONJI 

trance,  a  representative  example  of  a  type  which  appears 
so  often  in  the  sculpture  of  the  Ashikaga  and  early 
Tokugawa  Epochs,  iGth-iyth  Centuries. 

The  wooded  hill  behind  Kokuonji  is  well  worth  a  visit, 
as  its  terrace  provides  a  splendid  view  of  the  crescent- 
shaped  valley  of  Kamakura,  and  of  historic  Yuigahama, 
the  sandy  shore  where  Kublai  Khan's  arrogant  ambassa- 
dors suffered  their  ignoble  death  at  the  command  of  the 
valiant  Hojo  Regent  Tokimune,  iath  Century. 


129 


KYOTO 


Fig.   98.     Amida.     Bronze.     Cast    (in 

sections)    by   Ono  Goroyemon  in   1252. 

K6toku-in,  Kamakura. 


Fig.  100.  Kwannon  in  Sumi  on 
Silk.  Attributed  to  Keishoki  (15th 
Century).  Kenchoji,  Kamakura. 

Tajima   "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  99.  Memorial-statuette  of 
the  Regent  Ho  jo  Tokiyori.  Kama- 
kura School  of  the  Thirteenth  Cen- 
tury. Kenchoji,  Kamakura. 

Tajima  "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  113.  The  Abbot 
Fo-chien.  By  an  Unknown 
(Sung  ?)  painter.  Dated 
1238.  Tofukuji,  Kyoto 


*> 


SI 


K6RYUJI 

IN  our  discussion  of  the  ancient  city  of  Nara,  we  have 
already  remarked  that  prior  to  the  date  of  its  foun- 
dation, the  Japanese  possessed  no  fixed  capital.  To  pre- 
vent the  general  waste,  discomfort  and  oppression  con- 
sequent upon  the  ancient  custom  of  removing  the  capital 
at  the  death  of  each  emperor,  the  Empress  Gemmyo  had 
established  Nara  as  a  permanent  resident  city.  This  oc- 
curred in  the  year  710  A.  D.  Some  faint  idea  of  the 
trouble  and  waste  of  energy  which  followed  one  of  these 
removals  is  furnished  by  the  story  of  Kwammu's  sub- 
sequent abandonment  of  Nara.  History  tells  us  that 
before  finally  settling  upon  Kyoto  as  his  capital,  Kwammu 
removed  to  Nagaoka,  which  lay  about  thirty  miles  from 
Nara.  Here  he  stayed  but  nine  years.  Yet,  during  this 
removal  "  no  fewer  than  314,000  men  were  held  to  forced 
labor  for  the  space  of  seven  months,  all  of  whom  had  to 
be  maintained  by  a  commuted  labor-tax  levied  on  the  vil- 
lages and  districts  from  which  they  had  been  drawn." 

Kwammu's  abandonment  of  Nara  was  due  to  his  fear 
of  the  ever-increasing  power  and  arrogance  of  the  Bud- 
dhist priesthood.  For,  surrounding  Nara  stood  the  great 
metropolitan  temples,  whose  rich  and  powerful  abbots 
had  long  dominated  the  Palace.  Indeed,  as  early  as  the 
year  784,  we  quote  from  Murdoch : 21  "  The  influence  of 
its  (Nara's)  seven  great  monasteries,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
convents,  had  become  too  strong  for  the  best  interests  of 

ziMurdock,  J.  "History  of  Japan,"  Vol.  1,  p.  207. 

133 


KYOTO 

the  Empire;  and  Kwammu  seems  to  have  been  deter- 
mined from  the  first  to  remove  the  administration  and  its 
personnel  from  the  dangerous  proximity  of  the  ghostly 
counsellors,  who  tended  more  and  more  to  become  the 
real  rulers  of  the  Empire.  The  Emperor  must  have 
known  that  an  open  and  declared  breach  with  Buddhism 
would  have  been  highly  injudicious,  if  not  utterly  fatal  to 
his  rule,  inasmuch  as  the  foreign  cult  was  now  the  pro- 
fessed religion  of  almost  the  whole  governing  class.  All 
that  he  evidently  aimed  at  was  the  lessening  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  old  Buddhist  hierarchy,  as  it  was  then  con- 
stituted. The  priests  could  only  remove  their  magnif- 
icent buildings  with  the  greatest  difficulties;  the  Em- 
peror could  remove  the  capital  with  comparative  ease. 
In  course  of  time  monasteries  would  doubtless  spring 
up  in  a  new  seat  of  government;  but  by  astute  manage- 
ment they,  especially  if  reared  by  entirely  new  sects, 
could  be  utilized  as  a  counterpoise  to  the  proud  and 
wealthy  ecclesiastics  of  Nara." 

In  the  year  784,  with  this  in  mind,  the  astute  Emperor 
suddenly  declared  Nagaoka,  in  the  Province  of  Yama- 
shiro,  his  resident  city,  and  there  he  betook  himself  at  the 
head  of  his  Court.  Finally,  growing  dissatisfied  with  this 
pretty  spot,  he  established  himself  in  a  picturesque  valley 
below  Mount  Hieisan,  which  dominates  the  modern 
Kyoto.  He  bestowed  upon  this  city  the  name  Heianjo 
or  "  City  of  Peace,"  but  it  has  ever  been  called  Kyoto, 
a  Chinese  word  meaning  "  metropolis."  *2 

The  Emperor  gave  orders  that  his  new  city  should  be 
laid  out  after  the  design  of  the  great  Chinese  (T'ang  Dy- 
nasty) capital,  Hsian  (Siangfu)  in  the  Province  of  Shen- 

?2  Or  Miyako,  its  Japanese  equivalent. 

134 


KORYUJI 

shi.  Its  dimensions  measured  three  miles  east  and  west 
by  three  and  a  third  miles  north  and  south.  In  the  cen- 
ter of  the  northern  extremity  stood  the  Imperial  Citadel, 
measuring  some  1280  yards  from  north  to  south  and  1553 
from  east  to  west.  From  the  Palace,  a  grand  avenue  or 
boulevard,  some  280  feet  wide,  ran  from  the  entrance 
gate  to  the  southern  gate  of  the  city,  and  cutting  the  city 
into  two  great  sections.  Parallel  with  these  ran  three 
wide  streets  on  each  side.  Nine  splendid  avenues,  some 
measuring  170,  some  80  feet  in  width,  intersected  the 
whole  breadth  of  the  city  from  east  to  west.  The  house 
unit  adopted  covered  100  x  50  feet.  Eight  of  these  units 
made  a  row,  four  rows  a  block,  four  blocks  a  division,  and 
four  divisions  a  district,  of  which  there  were  nine.  Al- 
together there  were  1216  blocks  and  38,912  houses. 

What  the  population  actually  was  it  is  difficult  to  say, 
for  the  Japanese  household  was  then  much  larger  than  it 
is  today,  when  it  consists  on  the  average  of  about  five 
individuals.  Few  cities  of  Europe  at  that  date  could 
exceed  the  two  oriental  capitals  in  population.  In  mag- 
nificence, however,  Kyoto  could  not  aspire  to  vie  with 
such  great  cities  as  Constantinople  and  Cordova,  for 
the  general  aspect  it  presented  must  have  been  sombre  in 
the  extreme.  The  low,  one-storied,  flimsy  houses,  mostly 
roofed  with  shingles,  opened  upon  inner  courts  or  minia- 
ture gardens,  which,  indeed,  were  pleasing  to  the  eye ;  but 
the  front  effect  was  about  as  picturesque  as  that  of  a 
prison  or  barrack  wall.  Some  of  the  buildings  did  indeed 
boast  roofs  of  slate-colored  tiles,  while  the  glint  of  the 
green-glazed  tiles  of  the  Palace  imported  from  China  must 
have  imparted  an  element  of  cheerfulness  into  the  pros- 
pect when  the  sun  shone.  In  its  architecture  even  the 


KYOTO 

Palace  was  more  remarkable  for  its  chaste  simplicity  than 
for  its  splendor.  Such  was  the  city  founded  by  Kwammu 
in  794,  a  city  destined  to  be  the  capital  of  Japan  for  the 
long  term  of  875  years.23 

But  long  before  Kwammu  dreamt  of  Kyoto,  indeed  be- 
fore the  Empress  Gemmyo  had  founded  her  great  capital 
of  Nara,  the  temple  of  Koryuji  had  been  erected  in 
near-by  Uzumasa.  Tradition  has  it  that  Koryuji  was 
founded  in  the  twelfth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  Empress 
Suiko  (604  A.  D.)  by  the  great  Prince  Mumayado,  or 
Shotoku  Taishi,  of  Horyuji  fame.  It  was  erected  under 
the  personal  supervision  of  a  Chinese  priest,  Hata  Kawa- 
katsu,  one  of  the  many  itinerant  priests,  who  came  over 
in  such  great  numbers  both  from  China  and  Korea  dur- 
ing the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries.  It  still  preserves 
a  few  examples  of  statuary  which  have  been  unhesitat- 
ingly attributed  to  the  period  of  Koryuji's  foundation, 
and  perhaps  to  a  date  somewhat  prior  to  it.  These  we 
shall  presently  examine. 

Koryuji's  large  red  and  white  Nio-mon  or  entrance 
gate  fronts  the  low-lying  thoroughfare,  which  leads  to 
the  far  larger  temple  of  Myoshinji.  From  its  dusky  por- 
ticos Indra  and  Brahma,  the  wakeful  demon-quellers, 
gaze  up  and  down  the  long  stretch  of  white  road  with 
flashing  eye  and  forbidding  mien.  The  pair  may  cer- 
tainly be  referred  to  an  artist  of  the  Kamakura  School 
of  wood-carvers. 

The  buildings  of  this  foundation,  as  we  see  them  to- 
day, are  not  the  originals  of  Shotoku's  day.  These  were 
destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1150.  Yet  in  some  cases 
they  are  composed  of  material  saved  from  that  conflagra- 

23  Compare  Murdock,  J.  "  A  History  of  Japan."     Vol.  1,  p.  208. 

I36 


tion.  The  Hondo,  a  square  red  and  white  structure  with 
a  very  graceful  roof,  contains  many  sculptural  treasures, 
of  great  age  and  historical  interest.  As  we  approach  and 
stand  for  a  moment  before  its  wooden  barrier,  our  eyes 
gradually  grow  accustomed  to  the  gloom  within  and  soon 
three  ghostly  deities  take  shape  and  resolve  themselves 
before  us.  The  central  figure  represents  a  somewhat  sleek 
gilt-lacquer  Amida,  who  sits  in  abstracted  meditation 
upon  a  broad  drapery-festooned  pedestal.  At  his  left  sits 
Kokuzo,  an  infinitely  wise  female  deity,  rarely  seen  either 
in  sculpture  or  painting.  To  the  right  of  Amida  sits  Jiz6> 
the  children's  deity,  a  large-headed  figure  with  the  benev-» 
olent  and  compassionate  expression  one  expects  to  see 
in  the  face  of  this  God  of  Motherhood.  As  we  see  them 
today,  Kokuzo  and  Jizo  are  of  plain  grayish  wood, 
though  both  were  originally  brightly  painted.  Vestiges 
of  the  floral  decoration  that  embellished  their  red  and 
blue  robes  are  still  indeed  faintly  visible.  Amida  seema 
to  belong  to  the  Nam  School  of  the  eleventh-twelfth 
centuries,  there  being  a  mixture  of  Nara  sculptural  and 
Eshin  pictorial  art  about  him.  He  may  indeed  belong  to 
the  school  of  the  sculptor  Jocho  (d.  1053).  The  wooden 
figures  may  perhaps  be  attributed  to  an  eminent  sculptor 
of  the  Kamakura  School  of  the  twelfth  or  thirteenth  cen< 
tury. 

The  building  which  contains  these  giants  is  entered 
at  back;  and  with  the  opening  of  the  huge  red  doors,  a 
seemingly  endless  line  of  vociferating  and  menacing  gods 
confronts,  and  for  a  moment,  almost  terrifies,  one.  It 
needs  but  a  glance  at  the  virile  frames,  at  the  vivacity  of 
their  gestures,  and  a  marvelous  attention  to  detail  de- 
picted in  every  line  of  their  impassioned  faces,  to  stamp 


KYOTO 

these  supremely  energetic  little  beings  as  the  work  of 
an  artist  of  Onkei's  School  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

The  dim,  whitewashed  corners  of  this  high,  raftered 
building  are  occupied  by  towering  figures  of  the  "  Thou- 
sand-armed "  Kwannon,  superb  lacquer  images  attrib- 
uted to  the  eighth  century.  On  a  low  wooden  dais  to 
the  left  rests  the  worm-eaten  statue  of  the  aged  priest, 
Hata  Kawakatsu,  builder  of  the  temple.  An  incense- 
stained  figure  of  Shaka,  dating  perhaps  from  the  Middle 
Fujiwara  days,  stands  beside  him. 

In  the  temple  beyond,  the  Soshido,  are  preserved  a  few 
sadly  battered  sculptural  relics  of  antiquity,  notably  a 
Miroku,  originally  painted,  and  attributed  to  the  Genkei 
Era,  877-885.  A  painted  statue  which  still  preserves 
much  of  its  original  beauty  is  the  standing  Sri,  a  figure 
that  may  well  date  from  the  reign  of  Koken  (7th  cen- 
tury). But  by  far  the  most  beautiful  of  the  sculptural 
treasures  of  Koryuji  is  the  seated  image  of  Shaka,  Fig- 
ure 17.  Modeled  in  clay  and  formerly  covered  with 
gold-leaf,  the  statue  is  said  to  have  come  from  Korea  as 
a  present  to  the  Regent  under  the  Empress  Suiko,  the  Im- 
perial Prince  Shotoku  Taishi.  And  temple  tradition  fur- 
ther states  that  Shotoku  presented  it  to  the  priest  Hata 
Kawakatsu,  under  whom  this  temple  was  erected.  As  an 
expression  of  the  art  of  purely  esoteric  Buddhism,  as  a 
representation  of  the  great  inward  calm  which  comes  with 
the  subjugation  of  the  mind  over  all  worldly  passion,  this 
little  figure  ranks  high  among  the  ancient  treasures  of 
the  country.  Indeed  with  the  clay  figure  of  Chandra  in 
the  Sangwatsudo,  Nara,  and  those  of  Gi-en  and  Dosen 
preserved  in  the  temples  of  Okadera  and  Horyuji,  re- 
spectively, Shaka,  though  much  repaired,  may  well  take 

138 


K6RYUJI 

rank  with  the  four  best  clay  figures  that  have  survived  to 
us  from  the  first  Nara  Epoch,  708-749.  For  to  the  early 
part  of  that  Epoch  (Wado-Yoro  Era)  to  our  mind  the  fig- 
ure undoubtedly  belongs,  in  spite  of  temple  tradition  to 
the  contrary.  And  as  Shaka  is  by  far  the  most  beau- 
tiful example  of  the  sculptural  art  of  this  foundation, 
so,  the  wooden  image  of  Kwannon,  Figure  n,  is,  undoubt- 
edly, the  most  ancient.  This  interesting  statue,  with  an- 
other of  the  same  type,  is  preserved  in  a  small  octagonal 
wooden  building,  called  the  Hakkakudo  or  "  Eight  Sided 
Hall."  The  building  is  said  to  have  formed  part  of  a 
palace  in  which  lived  the  Regent  Shotoku  Taishi.  And 
temple  tradition  would  have  us  believe  that  the  statue 
was  carved  by  the  gifted  Regent  himself.  We  have  al- 
ready referred  to  the  larger,  but  very  similar  Kwannon  at- 
tributed to  Shotoku,  and  now  the  greatest  treasure  of  the 
Chuguji  Nunnery  at  Horyuji  (q.  v.)  It  would  seem,  to 
have  had  its  inspiration  in  the  incense-stained  figure  in 
question.  For,  of  the  two,  the  Kwannon  of  the  Chuguji 
Nunnery  appears  to  be  far  more  finished.  Tajima,  in 
discussing  this  statue,24  would  assign  it  to  the  hand  of  a 
specialist;  whereas,  in  the  Koryuji  image,  he  would  see 
the  work  of  an  amateur  (Shotoku).  But  whoever  the 
author,  we  have  before  us  one  of  the  oldest  —  it  may  in- 
deed be  the  most  ancient  —  wooden  figure  in  Japan ;  one 
of  the  few  rare  memorials  of  what  has  sometimes  been 
called  her  derivative  art  period,  the  Suiko  Era,  593-628. 

Here  again  stand  an  archaic  figure  of  one  of  the  Shi- 
Tenno,  said  to  date  from  the  latter  part  of  the  seventh 
century,  and  three  painted  statuettes  of  Shotoku.  Two 
of  these  figures  represent  the  future  Regent  as  a  child  of 

^4  Tajima,    "Selected  Relics"   Vol.   3. 

139 


KYOTO 

three ;  one  as  a  youth  of  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  The 
latter  is,  undoubtedly,  a  copy  of  an  ancient  portrait  of 
the  prince,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  temple  of 
Ninnaji,  Kyoto,  but  has  now  been  added  to  the  rich  col- 
lection of  the  Imperial  Household.  All  these  statues  may 
be  attributed  to  the  Ashikaga  Epoch,  1334-1567.  Of  pic- 
torial art  Koryuji  possesses  but  little,  yet  one  may  still 
admire  the  simplicity  and  fine  distinction  in  line  displayed 
in  the  painting  on  silk  of  a  fiery-red  Fudo.  The  "  Im- 
movable One "  is  seated ;  his  bushy  eyebrows  drawn 
low  down  over  his  cruel  little  black  eyes.  The  thin 
mouth  is  tightly  closed,  and  above  and  below  the  lips 
there  protrudes  a  long  and  yellow  fang.  In  one  hand 
Fudo  grasps  the  rope  with  which  he  is  popularly  sup- 
posed to  bind  all  unrepentant  sinners;  in  the  other  he 
wields  a  large  Chinese  sword  with  which  he  is  supposed 
to  strike  off  their  heads.  But  the  one  great  pictorial 
work  of  art,  belonging  to  this  foundation,  is  the  Picture- 
Roll,  illustrating  the  life  of  the  Priest  Noye,  Figure  101. 
Noye,  who  once  belonged  to  the  Todaiji,  Nara,  died  in  the 
year  1169.  Shortly  after  his  demise  he  is  said  to  have 
returned  to  earth,  telling  an  astounding  tale  of  his  recep- 
tion in  the  underworld.  The  series  of  paintings  which 
illustrate  this  story  are  laid  upon  thick  gray  paper  in 
light  wash-colors.  Picture-rolls,  as  we  have  seen,  had 
become  more  fashionable  than  any  other  style  of  paint- 
ing by  the  period  of  Heike,  or  early  Kamakura  (i2th 
century).  And  this  series,  if  by  Muneuchi  Kaneyasu, 
as  it  is  thought,  dates  from  the  commencement  of  the 
Kamakura  period.  In  the  illustration  Noye  is  depicted 
as  about  to  enter  the  palace  gate  of  Emma-6,  Regent  of 
Hell.  Before  him  stalk  the  Regent's  two  myrmidons  — 

140 


Fig.  106.  Monju 
of  a  Shaka  Trin- 
ity. Colours  on 
Silk.  Attributed 
to  the  Chinese 
artist  Wu  Tao- 
tze  (Godoshi). 
Early  T'ang  Dy- 
nasty (8th  Cen- 
tury). 
Tofukuji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  107.  Shaka,  of 
the  Same  Set  as  Fig- 
ures 106-108.  Tofu- 
kuji, Kyoto. 


Fig.  108.  Fugen, 
of  the  Same  Set. 
Tofukuji,  Kyoto. 


Fig    105. 
ed  in   1236. 


Interior   of  the   Sam-mon.     Erect- 
Tofukuji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.     109.      Yuima.       Colours      on  Fig.   110.        Daruma.        Ink      and 

Paper.        Probably      Sung      Dynasty  Wash    Colours    on    Paper.     By    Min- 

(12th  Century).  cho    (Cho  Densu),   1352-1431. 

Tofukuji,   Kyoto.  Tofukuji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  111.  Rakan  (arhats).  Col- 
ours on  Silk.  By  Mincho  (Cho 
Densu).  1352-1431. 

Tofukuji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  112.  Kanzan.  Ink  and 
Wash  Colours  on  Paper.  By 
Mincho  (Cho  Densu),  1352- 
1431.  Tdfukuji,  Kydto. 


TOFUKtfjI 

the  "chronicler  of  sins"  and  the  "reader  of  offences." 
A  hideous  demon  guards  the  approach  to  the  Gate  of 
Hell. 

Having  already  seen  ftnkei's  statue  of  the  Regent 
Emma-6  at  Kamakura,25  we  can  well  appreciate  the  hum- 
bled mien  and  faltering  step  of  the  frightened  Noye. 

TOFUKUJI 

The  once  great  and  wealthy  monastery  of  Tofukugi 
was  erected  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century 
by  command  of  the  then  Premier  Fujiwara  Michi-iye.  It 
was  built  to  honor  the  famous  artist-priest  Yenni  or 
Shoichi  Kokushi,26  as  he  was  popularly  called,  a  great 
prelate  of  the  Zen  or  "  meditative  "  sect  of  Buddhism. 
By  Imperial  sanction,  Yenni  was  installed  as  its  first 
abbot. 

An  ancient  plan  of  the  temple  grounds,  Figure  104,  a 
sketch  in  sumi  and  wash-colors  attributed  to  no  less  hand 
than  that  of  Sesshu,27  gives  a  comprehensive  view  of  the 
temple-group  as  it  was  in  ancient  days.  Not  a  few  of 
its  buildings  and  details  still  exist,  notably  the  charm- 
ing covered  gallery  and  bridge,  which  crosses  the  maple- 
set  ravine,  Tsutenkyo,  or  "  Bridge  of  Heaven,"  and  the 
building  at  the  upper  end  of  this  gallery,  the  Rectory, 
capped  by  its  unique  square  tower. 

The  buildings  which  survive  today  stand  in  the  midst 
of  broad  and  well-wooded  grounds,  the  latter  in  them- 
selves well  worthy  of  a  visit  during  the  cherry  blossom 

25  Compare  Kamakura,  Ennoji. 

26  Yenni  'a  posthumous  title,  bestowed  upon  him  by  the  Emperor  G6-Uda, 
1275-1287.     It  means   "Master  of  the  State." 

27  The  sketch  is  dated  in  the  second  year  of  Eisho   (1505),  or  one  year 
before  Sesshu' s  death. 

141 


KY6TO 

and  maple  months.  For,  in  April,  the  cherry  trees  are 
pink  with  heavy  petalled  blossoms;  and  in  November 
people  come  from  far  and  near  —  have  come  for  cen- 
turies past  —  to  enjoy  the  glorious  reds  and  brilliant 
orange  tones  of  her  grove  of  maple  trees. 

The  colossal  wooden  Sammon  or  entrance  gate  is  ap- 
proached by  a  quaint  stone  bridge,  which  spans  the  nar- 
row channel  connecting  two  lotus  ponds.  Dating  from 
the  year  1236,  it  has  thrice  undergone  repairs.  Yet  it 
still  stands  as  a  good  example  of  the  architectural  skill 
of  the  Kamakura  Period,  1186-1333.  High  up  in  its  in- 
terior is  a  large  chamber,  Figure  105,  a  long  hall  bright 
with  early  Ashikaga  (?)  paintings,  and  containing  a 
series  of  carved  and  painted  wood  rakans,  or  disciples  of 
Buddha,  whose  coarseness  and  ugliness  beggar  all  de- 
scription. 

One  formerly  passed  through  this  huge  gate  to  reach 
the  Main  Temple,  but  that  was  utterly  destroyed  by 
the  fire  of  1882.  To  the  left  of  the  square  mound  which 
today  marks  its  site,  there  rises  the  long,  low  Zendo,  a 
lecture  hall  devoted  to  the  discussion  of  the  Dhyana  or 
"meditative  doctrine"  of  the  Zenshu  Buddhists.  Its 
main  deity  consists  of  a  painted  and  gilt  wood  Amida 
flanked  by  two  attendants.  With  the  figures  of  the  Shi- 
Tenno,  which  stand  near  by,  we  should  attribute  them 
to  the  period  of  the  Ashikaga  Shogunate,  1334-1567.  To 
the  right  stands  a  very  beautiful  example  of  a  mikoshi,  or 
religious  palanquin  in  gold  lacquer  and  gilt  copper,  and, 
behind  screens,  mediocre  painted  wood  statues  of  Tai- 
shaku,  Bonten,  etc.,  all  dating  from  early  Tokugawa  days 
(i7th  century).  And  here  too  is  preserved  a  colossal  lac- 
quered wood  hand  from  the  destroyed  figure  of  Amida, 

142 


T6FUKtJJI 

which  formerly  towered  high  upon  the  main  altar  of  the 
Kondo. 

To  the  left  of  the  central  altar  are  ranged  many  good 
examples  of  late  Ashikaga  sculpture,  notably  a  figure  of 
Daruma,  twenty-sixth  patriarch  of  the  Buddhist  religion, 
and  another  of  Shoichi  Kokushi,  first  abbot  of  Tofukuji. 

The  Rinzodo  too,  a  few  steps  beyond  this  building, 
contains  three  representative,  if  somewhat  naive,  exam- 
ples of  Ashikaga  work,  the  figures  of  the  Chinese  sage, 
Fu-Daishi  (6th  century),  and  his  laughing  sons,  Fujo 
and  Fuken.  The  figure  of  Fu-Daishi  is  commonly  found 
installed  in  the  Rinzodos  of  Buddhist  temples,  as  to  him 
is  attributed  the  invention  of  the  nnzo  or  "  revolving  li- 
brary "  which  it  contains. 

But  the  real  treasures  of  Tofukuji  are  preserved  in 
the  Apartments,  situated  at  the  upper  end  of  the  bridge 
and  beyond  the  long  gallery  to  which  we  have  above  re- 
ferred. To  reach  it  we  cross  the  "  Bridge  of  Heaven  " 
and  continue  on  to  the  end  of  the  covered  gallery.  This 
brings  us  to  the  beautiful  little  open  courtyard,  which 
immediately  fronts  the  Rectory  and  Apartments.  We 
have  used  the  word  beautiful  in  connection  with  this 
courtyard ;  but  it  is  a  superrefined  beauty,  a  beauty  of  the 
imagination  one  might  almost  say.  For  the  great  square 
in  which  it  is  laid  out  has  been  divided  into  two  distinct 
halves.  In  the  first  half,  a  few  tall  stones  and  a  single 
dust-covered  palm  alone  serve  to  break  the  glare  of  its 
white-sanded  expanse.  This  first  part  symbolizes  the 
desert:  the  abode  of  the  prowling  tiger.  The  other  half 
with  its  lotus  pond,  mossy  bank  and  cool  grove  of  trees, 
presents  one  of  those  sharp  contrasts  so  dear  to  the  Ori- 
ental. 


KYOTO 

Of  the  two  connected  buildings  which  overlook  this 
double  garden,  the  Refectory  is  remarkable  solely  on 
account  of  its  unusual  architectural  detail,  the  square 
tower  in  its  roof.  The  other,  a  long  low  building,  with 
covered  portico  in  front,  contains  the  Apartments.  Here 
are  kept  many  of  the  treasures  of  this  ancient  founda- 
tion. 

The  First  Room  contains  a  series  of  painted  fusuma 
attributed  to  Kano  Sanraku,  1558-1635,  in  which  the 
artist  has  depicted  some  of  his  delightful  floral  designs  of 
red  and  white  chrysanthemums  and  rich  blue  morning- 
glories.  These  exquisite  designs  are  thrown  into  strong 
relief  against  a  background  of  brilliant  gold-leaf.  San- 
raku was  a  son  and  follower  of  that  great  colorist  and 
decorative  artist,  Kano  Eitoku,  1543-1590. 

The  Second  Room  again  contains  fusuma  by  the  same 
great  decorative  artist, —  flower  and  bird  designs  simi- 
larly relieved  against  that  rich  gold  ground  in  which  he 
and  his  father  so  delighted.  An  especially  beautiful  bit 
shows  a  group  of  snowy  herons  huddled  on  the  bough 
of  a  tree,  which  stretches  far  over  an  iris-bordered  pool. 
To  the  right  dainty  weeds  are  swayed  by  the  rush  of 
swirling  waters,  which  fall  in  one  great  leap  from  a  cleft 
in  the  rock  above. 

The  fusuma  of  the  Third  Room,  also  by  Sanraku,  show 
blossoming  cherry  trees,  peonies  and  chrysanthemums  in 
brilliant  colors  and  gold. 

In  the  Fourth  Room  are  charming  monochrome-ink 
sketches  of  winter  scenes  in  the  Chinese  style  by  an  un- 
known artist  of  the  Kano  School.  Especially  fine  is  the 
high  panel  which  decorates  the  somewhat  dark  recess  of 
the  large  tokonoma.  The  poetic  conception  of  the  series 

144 


Fig.  114.  The  Abbot  Shoichi  K6- 
kushi.  By  Mincho  (Cho  Densu), 
1352-1431. 

Tofukuji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  116.  Bisiiamon.  Wood, 
painted.  Perhaps  Chinese  of  the 
T'ang  Dynasty.  Toji,  Kyoto. 

Tajima,    "Selected    Relics." 


Shoichi   Kokushi.     By 
Tofukuji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  117.  Temple  Ornament. 
Cowhide,  painted.  Probable  date 
1086.  Toji,  Kyoto. 

Tajima   "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  119.  Fudo.  Wood,  painted. 
Attributed  to  Kobo  Daishi  between 
the  years  807-816  A.  D. 

Toji,  Kydto. 


Fig.   118.      The      Five      Bodhisattva 

Kokuzo.     Wood.     Probably  Chinese  of 

about  the   Sui  Dynasty,   590-617  A.  D. 

Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  120.  Portrait  of  Amogha- 
Vajra.  Colours  on  Silk.  By  the 
Chinese  (T'ang)  artist  Li  Chen. 

Toji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  121.  Idealistic  Portrait  of 
Lung-men,  Founder  of  the  Maha- 
yana  Doctrine  of  Buddhism  (3rd 
Century).  By  Kobo  Daishi,  821 
A.  D.  Toji,  Kyoto. 


T6FUKUJI 

and  the  light  though  virile  brushwork  recall  the  work 
of  that  early  master  of  the  school,  Kano  K6-i.  Kano 
K6-i  or  Sadanobu,  as  he  is  more  familiarly  known,  was 
born  about  1566.  He  first  studied  under  Mitsunobu,  im- 
bibing much  of  that  artist's  style.  Later,  through  his 
keen  interest  in  the  works  of  the  Chinese  (Sung  Dyn- 
asty) artist  Muchi  and  of  Sesshu,  his  compatriot,  he 
evolved  a  style  of  his  own.  His  technique  is  character- 
ized as  light,  jerky  but  assured.  He  is  indeed  a  reflection 
of  Sesshu,  but  only  of  Sesshu  when  wielding  the  light 
brush.  What  are  perhaps  his  chief  works  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  Nijo  Palace,  Kyoto,  and  in  the  "  Detached  Palace  " 
of  Nagoya.  He  is  especially  famous  as  being  the  teacher 
of  the  famous  brothers,  Tannyu,  Naonobu  and  Yasunobu 
Kano. 

The  Fifth  Room  is  decorated  with  a  set  of  fusuma  at- 
tributed somewhat  hastily  to  Kaihoku  Yusho,  1532-1615, 
monochrome  studies  of  wild  geese  in  their  natural  habitat. 
Here  too,  stands  a  pair  of  gold  screens  decorated  in  bril- 
liant but  subdued  colors  with  designs  of  reeds  and  dainty 
marsh  flowers  in  the  style  of  the  Koyettsu  (Korin) 
School. 

The  fusuma  of  the  Sixth  Room,  embellished  with  land- 
scape-designs and  Chinese  sages,  are  similarly  attributed, 
fortuitously  we  think,  to  the  hand  of  the  founder  of  the 
Kaihoku  School. 

In  Room  Seven  the  monochrome  drawings  are  worthy 
of  note,  were  it  only  for  the  superb  pine  and  summer 
house,  a  panel  which  would  have  done  credit  to  the  great 
Chinese  artist,  Bay  en,  whose  style,  no  doubt,  it  affects. 
And  one  of  China's  most  famous  painters  is,  indeed,  rep- 
resented here.  For  we  return  to  the  first  room  to  find 


KY6TO 

Wu    Tao-tze's    three    supremely    grand   kakemono   ar- 
ranged in  order  upon  the  wall,  Figures  106-108. 

This  superb  set,  representing  Shaka,  Monju  and  Fugen, 
may,  undoubtedly,  be  characterized  as  the  most  beautiful 
of  the  strictly  religious  paintings  that  have  survived  to 
us  from  the  far-off  days  of  China's  T'ang  Dynasty,  618- 
907.  It  is  painted  in  colors  on  silk,  silk  of  the  fine  beaten 
type  commonly  made  use  of  by  artists  of  T'ang.  In  the 
tender  beauty  and  loftiness  of  expression  revealed  in  the 
features,  in  the  skill  evinced  in  the  handling  of  the  superb 
draperies,  it  may  well  be  said  to  illustrate  one  of  the 
greatest  schools  of  religious  painting  that  the  world  has 
ever  seen. 

Wu  Tao-tze,  or  Godoshi  as  he  is  called  in  Japan,  was  a 
native  of  the  ancient  province  of  Honan,  China.  Under 
Huantsung,  713-755,  he  was  invested  with  a  high  office, 
and  appointed  painter  to  the  Imperial  House.  Indeed  his 
extraordinary  versatility  earned  for  him  the  title  of  "  In- 
spired Sage  of  Painting";  for  not  only  did  he  produce 
religious  paintings,  human  and  animal  figures,  but  land- 
scapes, trees,  plants,  bird  and  insect  life  were  alike  ren- 
dered by  his  deft  and  facile  brush.  In  the  three  figures 
seen  in  the  paintings  under  discussion,  the  artist  has 
doubtless  sought  to  characterize  the  "three  precious 
things":  The  Law,  Buddha,  and  the  Church.  His 
Monju  shows  us  a  youthful  figure,  with  flowing  hair  and 
marvelously  handled  draperies,  Figure  108.  In  his  left 
hand  he  holds  a  roll  of  the  scriptures,  in  the  other  a  long 
jewelled  wand.  He  is  seated  in  an  easy  and  graceful 
attitude  upon  the  back  of  a  lion,  which  signifies  that  he 
is  fearless,  and  able  to  overcome  the  most  powerful  ene- 
mies of  the  Buddhist  faith. 

146 


T6FUKOJI 

The  central  kakemono  shows  Shaka  seated  cross- 
legged  upon  an  open  lotus  flower,  which,  in  turn,  floats 
upon  the  clouds,  Figure  102.  His  head  is  very  much 
rounded.  His  hands,  clasped  before  him,  are  concealed  in 
the  folds  of  a  superb  crimson  robe,  in  one  of  the  mystic 
poses  of  Buddhism.  The  extreme  suavity  and  delicacy 
in  Godoshi's  drawing  of  the  face  is  strikingly  intensified 
by  the  thick,  almost  harsh  brush-strokes  with  which  he 
has  sketched  in  Shaka's  drapery  lines.  The  charming 
figure  of  Fugen  shows  that  beneficent  bodhisattva  seated 
upon  the  back  of  a  crouching  white  elephant.  He  is 
busily  reading  a  volume  of  the  sutras  or  holy  books  of 
Buddhism.  The  head  of  this  human  embodiment  of  the 
church  is  of  the  same  full  and  rounded  form  as  that  of 
Shaka,  but  the  handling  of  the  draperies  seems  less 
virile.  Indeed,  there  is  reason  to  think  Fugen  a  later 
copy;  as,  indeed,  many  Japanese  critics  do.  Yet  it  is 
small  cause  for  wonder,  that  many  generations  of  Japa- 
nese artists  have  modeled  themselves  upon  these  lofty 
conceptions  of  a  reverent  soul. 

To  the  hand  of  another  eminent  Chinese  painter  is  at- 
tributed the  painting  on  silk  of  Yuima,  Figure  109.  Vari- 
ous opinions  exist  as  to  the  date  of  its  production,  some 
seeing  in  it  the  work  of  a  T'ang  or  Sung  artist,  though  a 
few  would  attribute  it  to  Ku  Kai-chih,  of  the  East  Chin 
Dynasty  (6th  century).  It  may  perhaps  be  a  T'ang  or 
Sung  copy  of  an  earlier  work, —  perhaps  of  Ku  Kai-chih's 
famous  Yuima,  concerning  which  we  have  the  following 
story  quoted  by  Tajima: 2S  Ku  Kai-chih  was  a  talented 
and  learned  man,  but  so  stolid  and  oblivious  apparently 
to  all  about  him  that  people  thought  him  half-witted. 

Selected  Belies." 

147 


KYOTO 

Now  it  happened  that  a  certain  temple  was  much  in  need 
of  funds ;  her  priests  forced  to  go  about  the  country  beg- 
ging contributions.  Yet  no  one  gave  more  than  a  hun- 
dred cash.  Ku  Kai-chih,  upon  hearing  of  this,  casually 
remarked  that  though  he  was  but  a  poor  man,  yet  they 
might  expect  from  him  a  million  cash.  Whereupon  howls 
of  derision  which  went  up  from  his  friends  and  kins- 
folk. Ku  Kai-chih  withdrew  himself  for  a  time  from  the 
outer  world  and  occupied  his  days  in  painting  a  great 
picture  of  Yuima  upon  a  wall  of  the  temple.  Just  before 
adding  the  last  strokes  to  what  the  delighted  abbot  saw 
was  a  most  remarkable  conception  of  the  god,  Ku  Kai- 
chih  turned  to  him  and  said,  "  If  now  you  open  the  doors 
of  this  room,  you  will  receive  a  hundred  thousand  cash 
on  the  first  day,  and  fifty  thousand  on  the  second,  from 
worshippers  who  come  to  the  temple."  And,  indeed,  all 
turned  out  as  the  artist  had  predicted.  For,  within  a 
very  short  space  of  time,  the  necessary  million  cash  was 
readily  subscribed. 

But  Tofukuji  is  especially  famous  for  its  unique  series 
of  paintings  by  one  of  the  greatest  of  Japanese  artists, 
Mincho  (Cho  Densu),  1351-1431.  In  Figure  no  is  illus- 
trated one  of  the  largest  and  most  powerful  of  the  extant 
works  of  this  great  master:  an  idealistic  portrait  of 
Daruma,  the  Indian  patriarch  and  founder  of  the  Zen  or 
"  meditative "  sect  of  Buddhism,  to  which  we  have  so 
often  had  occasion  to  refer.  Daruma  flourished  during 
the  early  years  of  the  Liang  Dynasty  (founded  502).  He 
went  to  China  as  a  missionary  and  became  the  instructor 
of  the  founder  of  the  dynasty,  Wu-ti.  So  strongly  did 
Daruma  impress  Buddha's  doctrines  upon  the  gifted  and 
broad-minded  Wu-ti,  that  the  latter  eventually  shaved  his 

148 


TOFUKUJI 

head,  dedicated  himself,  though  still  Emperor,  as  a  full- 
fledged  Buddhist  priest,  and  roamed  about  his  empire 
preaching  the  Indian  creed.  Of  Daruma  it  is  further  said 
that  he  passed  nine  years  of  his  life  in  abstract  medi- 
tation upon  the  teachings  of  Buddha,  during  which  time 
his  legs  rotted  off  beneath  him. 

And  well  has  Mincho  depicted  the  unswervable  one; 
the  huddled  and  sorrow-bent  form  wrapped  from  head  to 
foot  in  its  great  crimson  mantle!  Well  has  he  repre- 
sented the  sternly  compressed  lips,  the  fixed  and  intro- 
spective gaze  of  the  large  and  inexpressibly  sad  eyes! 

Mincho,  the  greatest  Buddhist  painter  of  his  day,  was 
a  native  of  Awaji.  At  an  early  age  he  entered  the  temple 
of  Tofukuji,  where  he  received  both  religious  and  artistic 
instruction  from  the  Abbot  Daido  Osho,  himself  a  pupil 
of  the  first  Abbot  Shoichi  Kokushi,  to  whom  we  have  al- 
ready had  occasion  to  refer.  To  Daido's  grief,  Mincho 
preferred  the  artistic  to  the  religious  training,  his  neglect 
of  the  latter  causing  him  many  a  bitter  half  hour  with  the 
venerable  Daido.  But  later  on  in  his  career,  when  Daido 
happened  to  be  away,  Mincho  painted  a  huge  picture  of 
Fudo.  Upon  the  Abbot's  return  the  painting  made  such 
an  impression  upon  him  that  he  thenceforth  encouraged 
rather  than  hindered  the  young  artist  in  his  studies. 

During  the  6ei  Period,  1394-1428,  Mincho  was  ap- 
pointed Densu  of  Tofukuji;  hence  his  common  title  of 
Cho  Densu  or  "  Keeper  of  the  Hall."  About  this  time 
also  he  executed  the  famous  Nehanso,  a  painting  which 
depicts  the  Death  (Nirvana)  of  the  Buddha.  Still  pre- 
served as  one  of  the  most  treasured  possessions  of  the 
temple,  it  is  shown  but  once  in  the  year,  and  that  the 
anniversary  of  Gautama's  Nirvana  (March  15).  This 

149 


KYOTO 

grand  painting  measures  some  39  feet  in  height  and  26 
in  width;  but  Mincho  ever  delighted  in  large  canvases. 
Were  the  Kondo  or  main  temple  still  in  existence,  it 
would  reveal  one  of  the  largest  and  grandest  of  his  works, 
a  gigantic  coiled  dragon  painted  on  paper  and  set  high 
up  in  the  centre  of  the  broad  ceiling.  The  length  of  this 
monster  was  100  feet,  and  it  served  as  the  model  of  many 
a  later  and  similarly  placed  dragon. 

The  "  History  of  Pictorial  Artists  "  has  this  Chinese 
gleaned  encomium  upon  the  art  of  Mincho :  "  Pictures  by 
Mincho  are  generally  on  a  large  scale.  His  method  of 
painting  is  but  the  expression  in  colors  of  his  own  per- 
sonality and  of  its  own  habit  of  thought;  while  the  me- 
chanical use  of  his  brush  is  so  vigorous  and  realistic  that, 
if  he  paints  a  dragon,  it  seems  to  writhe  in  the  clouds,  or, 
if  he  depicts  a  phoenix,  it  appears  to  be  flying  athwart  the 
sky." 

Mincho  founded  his  style  upon  that  of  the  great  Chi- 
nese masters  of  the  Southern  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynasties, 
1127-1368.  More  especially  did  he  model  himself  upon 
the  works  of  Li  Lung-mien  of  Sung  and  Yen  Hui  of 
Yuan.  Yet,  in  one  case  at  least,  Mincho  appears  not  to 
have  restricted  himself  to  the  art  style  of  the  Sung  and 
Yuan  painters,  for,  in  the  handling  of  the  splendidly 
idealistic  conception  of  his  unswervable  Daruma,  he 
seems  to  have  revealed  a  knowledge  of  the  work  of  the 
great  T'ang  painter,  Wu  Tao-tze.  So  much  of  the  same 
lofty  sentiment  is  visible  in  both  Godoshi's  Shaka  and 
Mincho's  Daruma ;  so  much  of  the  same  general  pose  and 
drapery  arrangement,  that  one  immediately  feels  that 
Mincho  had  not  improbably  seen  and  studied  the  very 
Shaka  to  which  we  have  above  referred. 

150 


T6FUKUJI 

Mincho  once  visited  the  picturesque  little  temple  of 
Kenchoji  at  Kamakura,  and  while  there  made  a  copy  of 
the  "  Five  Hundred  Rakan,"  a  series  of  paintings  by  the 
Chinese  (Yuan)  painter,  Yen  Hui.  Later  on,  by  com- 
mand of  the  Shogun  Yoshimochi,  Mincho  painted  an- 
other set,  fifty  in  all.  During  the  Civil  Wars  of  6nin 
(1467)  the  paintings  were  scattered;  but  later  on  they 
were  brought  together  again,  with  the  exception  of  three 
that  have  apparently  perished.  To  fill  the  gap  in  the 
series  three  of  Mincho's  Kamakura  ink  studies  were  col- 
ored and  added  to  the  set.  Thus,  Japan  now  possesses 
fifty  finished  paintings  and  forty-seven  of  Mincho's  rough 
sketches.  These  paintings  are  now  preserved  in  Tofu- 
kuji,  Figure  in. 

More  difficult  of  appreciation  by  our  Western  eyes, 
are  Mincho's  (?)  ink  and  light  wash-colored  figures  of 
the  sages  Kanzan  and  Jittoku,  of  which  one  kakemono, 
that  representing  Kanzan,  is  illustrated  in  Figure  112. 

But  Mincho  was  not  only  a  painter  of  Buddhist  sub- 
jects; he  was  also  a  great  portrait  painter,  one  of  the 
best  indeed  Japan  has  ever  produced.  And  in  this  phase 
of  his  art  again,  he  may  be  said  to  have  copied  the  Chi- 
nese masters  of  the  classic  Sung  Dynasty,  for  one  of  the 
very  portraits  which  probably  inspired  him  is  still  treas- 
ured in  the  Apartments  of  Tofukuji,  Figure  113,  p.  131. 

This  portrait,  in  colors  on  silk,  represents  a  famous 
teacher  of  the  Zen  doctrine,  Wu-shun,  or  Fo-chien  as  he 
was  called.  Wu-shun  was  ordained  in  1194,  and  later 
on  rose  to  great  prominence  as  an  inspired  teacher  of  the 
Zen  doctrine.  He  was  endowed  with  one  of  those  ex- 
traordinarily retentive  memories  of  which  Chinese  his- 
tory so  often  speaks.  For  example,  the  contents  of  a  book 


KYOTO 

once  passed  before  his  eyes,  were  never  forgotten.  He 
was  received  in  audience  by  the  Emperor  Li-tsung,  1225- 
1264,  who  presented  him  with  a  robe  of  gold  brocade, 
and  bestowed  upon  him  the  title  of  "  Dhyana-Master  Fo- 
chien." 

In  the  year  1235  Shoichi  Kokushi  went  to  China,  and 
spent  some  seven  years  in  study  of  the  Dhyana  or  Zen 
doctrine  under  Fo-chien.  He  returned  to  become  the 
first  abbot  of  Tofukuji. 

A  record  of  his  visit  to  the  old  Chinese  teacher  is  pre- 
served in  this  very  portrait  of  Fo-chien;  for,  above  the 
picture  Fo-chien  has  written:  "  Yenni  of  Kuno  (Shoichi 
Kokushi)  had  my  portrait  painted,  and  requested  me  to 
write  a  verse  over  it."  It  is  dated  in  the  year  1238;  but 
most  unfortunately,  the  name  of  the  artist  is  unknown. 
Yet  more  than  any  other  portrait  perhaps  did  the  style 
of  this  magnificent  painting  influence  Mincho  and  other 
eminent  painters  who  came  after  him.  As  to  Mincho, 
the  strong  influence  exerted  by  this  unknown  artist  is 
best  exemplified  in  his  famous  portrait  in  colors  of 
Shoichi  Kokushi,  Figure  114. 

Here  Mincho  has  not  presented  to  us  so  much  the  great 
artist,  the  mild  and  learned  sage,  the  man  of  gentle 
humor.  Here  we  have  rather  the  harsh  and  severe  in- 
structor ;  the  master  whose  bitter  tongue  had  often  caused 
his  pupil  Daido  to  writhe,  even  as  Daido  in  turn  had 
harassed  the  artistic  soul  of  poor  Mincho. 

The  general  pose  of  the  old  abbot  resembles  that  of 
the  portrait  of  Fo-chien.  The  arrangement  of  the 
voluminous  priestly  robes  is  the  same ;  the  piece  of  bro- 
cade thrown  carelessly  over  the  priestly  chair  and  the 
shoes  upon  the  stool  at  his  feet,  are  almost  identical.  Yet 

152 


T6FUKUJI 

in  the  colors  employed  in  this  portrait,  Mincho  has  gone 
a  step  further  than  the  Sung  artist.  For,  Shoichi  wears 
a  robe  of  golden  brown  silk,  partly  hidden  by  a  mantle 
in  the  same  warm  tone,  which  is  draped  over  his  left 
shoulder.  The  latter  is  banded  with  broad  stripes  of 
dark  blue.  Over  the  high-backed  chair,  in  which  the 
abbot  sits,  Mincho  has  depicted  a  magnificent  rug  of 
green  T-pattern,  bordered  by  a  wide  band  of  floral 
arabesques  in  two  shades  of  blue  on  white.  The  deep  red 
top  of  the  abbot's  long  staff  strikes  an  all-sufficient  note 
of  brilliant  color.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  in  this  superb 
example  of  his  art,  Mincho  has  far  surpassed  his  Chinese 
model. 

Now,  the  Chinese  were  accustomed  to  think  of  paint- 
ing as  an  art  closely  akin  to  that  of  writing.  Thus  with 
them  writing  and  painting  were  divided  into  three  several 
styles:  the  square,  the  free,  and  the  cursive.  The  por- 
trait which  we  have  just  discussed  is  painted  in  the  first 
of  the  three  styles  —  the  square.  But  Mincho  has  be- 
queathed to  us  an  example  of  the  sketchy  cursive  style 
in  another  portrait,  a  sketch  in  sumi  of  the  abbot 
Shoichi,  Figure  115.  In  a  way  this  second  portrait  is 
well-nigh  as  astonishing  as  the  first.  For  when  we  come 
to  analyze  it  we  realize  at  once  the  light  but  assured 
touch,  the  unerring  rhythm  and  facile  deftness  which 
characterize  this  brilliant  little  sketch.  Shoichi  is  here 
transported  to  paper  by  the  medium  of  a  few;  simple  hair- 
lines. And  it  is  a  far  more  human  and  sympathetic 
Shoichi  that  Mincho  has  presented  to  us.  The  stern 
mouth  of  the  colored  portrait  is  here  relaxed;  the  one 
uninjured  eye  is  less  coldly  keen  and  unsympathetic ;  the 
muscles  of  the  somewhat  heavy  face  are  no  longer  drawn 

153 


KYOTO 

and  tense.  Indeed,  we  may  say  of  this  sketch  that  the 
old  abbot's  calm  and  restful  pose  is  that  of  one  who  has 
sat  himself  down  with  the  express  purpose  of  enjoying 
a  quiet  hour  of  communion  with  nature.  As  an  example 
of  line  work,  pure  and  simple,  the  sketch  may  well  rank 
among  the  first  of  those  monochrome  drawings  in  the  Zen 
style  of  Sung,  a  style  which  so  strongly  influenced  the 
succeeding  generations  of  Japanese  artists. 

Other  patriarchs  of  Zen  Buddhism  attributed  to 
Mincho,  are  still  to  be  seen  in  Tofukuji.  Among  these 
the  portrait  of  Eisai,  another  famous  Zen  priest,  is,  per- 
haps, the  best.  Eisai  is  depicted  with  a  strikingly  Mon- 
golian cast  of  countenance,  though  thin  and  wan.  He 
wears  a  mantle  of  deep  red,  yellow,  and  dark  blue  which 
completely  envelops  his  emaciated  form.  His  long  bony 
hands  are  clasped  before  him.  His  expression,  the  far- 
away look  in  his  deep-set  eyes,  bespeaks  the  numberless 
days  and  nights  spent  in  fasting,  self-communing,  and 
meditation  upon  the  life  and  doctrine  of  Buddha,  to  which 
the  great  Zen  students,  such  as  he,  were  addicted. 

TOJI 

The  temple  of  Toji  was  dedicated  by  the  Emperor 
Kwammu,  782-805,  shortly  after  he  had  removed  his  capi- 
tal from  Nara  to  Kyoto.  Its  period  of  greatest  prosper- 
ity, however,  began  with  the  installation  of  Kukai  (Kobo 
Daishi)  as  its  abbot,  810  A.  D. 

Kukai  was  one  of  the  most  talented  men  that  Japan 
has  produced,  whether  clerical  or  lay,  of  ancient  times 
or  modern.  Like  many  another  early  religious  teacher, 
it  is  said  of  him  that  his  conception  was  miraculous ;  that 
he  came  into  the  world  with  his  hands  folded  as  if  in 


T6JI 

prayer.  He  was  born  near  Kotohira,  Shikoku,  in  774 
A.  D.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  was  ordained  as  priest, 
and  in  804  went  to  China  to  study  under  the  abbot  Hui- 
kwo,  who  presided  over  the  most  famous  monastery  of 
the  T'ang  Dynasty  capital,  Hsian  (now  Siangfu,  in  Shen- 
shi  Province).  Here  he  stayed  for  the  space  of  two 
years. 

The  form  of  Buddhism  taught  by  Hui-kwo  differed 
from  the  simple  doctrine,  the  doctrine  of  the  masses  — 
preached  by  the  priests  of  the  great  monasteries  of  Nara, 
for,  Hui-kwo's  doctrine  was  strongly  imbued  with  the 
Brahmanistic  tendencies  introduced  into  China  during 
the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Hsiian-tsung,  742-755.  It  was 
a  strongly  esoteric  Buddhism,  a  creed  which  demanded 
rigorous  fasting,  weary  hours  of  self-communing  and 
meditation  upon  the  life  and  teaching  of  Shaka. 

When  in  the  year  806  Kukai  returned  to  Japan,  the 
Brahmanistic  creed  which  he  straightway  began  to 
preach  resulted  in  a  great  and  sudden  change.  For, 
among  the  upper  classes,  the  new  doctrine  made  immedi- 
ate headway,  and  so  strongly  did  it  appeal  to  the  Em- 
peror and  his  Court,  that  later  on,  in  the  year  816  that  is, 
the  then  Emperor  Saga  granted  Kukai  a  large  tract  of 
land  upon  the  summit  of  Mount  Koya,  where  he  founded 
his  famous  Monastery  of  Kongobuji. 

And  since  the  fine  arts  of  the  day  were  still  intimately 
connected  with  the  history  of  the  Buddhist  religion,  there 
appears  an  equally  great  change  in  the  style  of  painting, 
sculpture  and  the  cognate  arts. 

Before  Kukai  left  Hsian,  his  venerable  instructor,  Hui- 
kwo,  presented  him  with  a  set  of  temple  utensils,  to- 
gether with  the  so-called  senzui  screens  and  ten  paint- 


KY6TO 

ings  from  the  hand  of  Li  Chen,  and  other  eminent 
artists  of  the  T'ang  Court.  In  addition  to  this  material, 
Kukai  ordered  copies  of  the  ritual  of  esoteric  Buddhism 
to  be  made,  and  himself  made  copies  of  the  various  Bud- 
dhist images  in  the  great  Ching-lung-ssu  Monastery  of 
Hsian,  with  the  idea  of  reproducing  them  upon  his  return 
to  Japan.  In  this  way,  was  the  art  of  Middle  T'ang 
introduced  into  Japan. 

During  the  period  of  which  we  write  (early  gth  cen- 
tury), the  dictates  of  Chinese  fashion  not  only  influenced 
religion  and  the  fine  arts,  but  it  entered  even  more  inti- 
mately into  the  lives  of  the  court  nobles  and  higher  gen- 
try. Thus  the  writing  of  the  day  was  in  T'ang  style; 
poems  were  read  with  the  T'ang  accent,  and  the  costumes 
of  officials  resembled  those  of  the  T'ang  Court.  Consid- 
ering that  Kyoto  had  been  laid  out  on  the  model  of  the 
T'ang  capital  Hsian,  the  city  must  have  presented  a  most 
strikingly  Chinese  appearance. 

Of  the  various  buildings  of  Toji,  as  we  have  them  to- 
day, none  have  survived  from  this  early  date.  One  and 
all  have  suffered  from  the  terrible  conflagrations  which, 
time  and  time  again,  have  devastated  the  place.  The 
buildings  we  shall  immediately  discuss,  date,  for  the  most 
part,  from  the  Tokugawa  Epoch  (1640). 

The  Kondo  contains  many  splendid  examples  of  early 
wood-carving.  First,  we  must  note  the  gigantic  image 
of  the  Senju  Kwannon,  a  standing  figure  richly  gilt  and 
surrounded  by  a  seeming  mandorla,  formed  of  her  thirty 
golden  arms.  Her  face  is  heavy,  broad  and  somewhat 
flattened.  The  nose  is  wide,  the  neck  short  and  thick. 
The  huge  lower  limbs,  and  well-modelled  torso,  scarcely 
concealed  beneath  the  clinging  draperies,  evince  most 

156 


TOjI 

strongly  the  influence  of  the  Nara  School  of  the  late 
eighth  century.  The  figure,  indeed,  is  strongly  reminis- 
cent of  a  somewhat  larger  Kwannon,  the  golden  goddess 
attributed  to  the  Priest  Shitaku  and  now  preserved  in  the 
Kondo  of  Toshodaiji  (q.  v.).  Upon  the  low  dais  about 
it  stand  robust  and  realistic  painted-wood  figures  of  the 
Four  Heavenly  Kings  or  Shi-Tenno,  four  fiercely  mili- 
tant champions  of  Buddhism,  clad  from  head  to  foot  in 
close-fitting  suits  of  armour.  With  their  fiery  little  eyes 
fixed  intently  upon  the  latticed  windows,  they  are  repre- 
sented as  in  the  act  of  trampling  the  demon-faced  enemies 
of  the  Indian  creed  beneath  their  heavy  shoes.  The 
series  undoubtedly  preserves  the  best  ideals  of  T'ang 
and  dates  at  least  as  early  as  the  first  part  of  the  ninth 
century.  In  Bishamon,  Spirit  of  Courage,  Figure  116, 
we  see  the  very  Mars,  v/ho  plays  so  important  a  role  in 
the  T'ang  temples  found  by  Stein  in  Khotan.  The  very 
costume  is  identical. 

The  building  beyond  the  Kodo,  another  dismal  red  and 
white  structure,  resembling  more  a  red  and  white  barn 
than  anything  else,  contains  a  few  notable  works  of 
sculptural  art  of  early  date.  The  main  deity  or  deities 
are  three  huge  figures  of  Shaka,  Monju  and  Fugen, — 
whose  richly  gilt  forms  are  thrown  into  strong  relief 
against  towering  "  boat-shaped "  mandorla.  Two  of 
these  are  decorated  with  openwork  floral  designs  and 
similarly  richly  gilded;  the  great  nimbus  which  serves 
to  frame  Shaka,  the  central  deity,  being  further  embel- 
lished with  many  little  figures  of  the  same  deity  modelled 
in  high  relief.  These  figures  are  again  attributed  to  the 
period  of  the  original  foundation,  though  not  improbably 
of  late  eighth  century  workmanship. 


KY6TO 

The  tall  pagoda,  to  the  left,  was  erected  in  the  year 
1334,  upon  the  site  of  an  earlier  tower  dating  from  1086. 
It  contains  but  one  object  of  artistic  interest,  and  that  a 
series  of  wall-paintings  of  Buddhist  deities,  to  be  found  in 
its  lower  story. 

One  of  a  series  of  fifteen  painted  cowhide  garlands, 
said  to  have  been  used  in  the  consecration  service  of  the 
original  pagoda,  is  illustrated  in  Figure  117.  These  rare, 
perhaps  unique,  ornaments  are  embellished  with  cut-out 
designs  of  lotus  flowers  and  Buddhist  angels.  They  are, 
furthermore,  brilliantly  colored  and  enriched  with  shad- 
ings  in  gold  and  silver.  Chusonji  possesses  very  similar 
garlands  in  gilt  bronze,  attributed  to  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury. 

The  Kwanchi-in  contains  today  the  great  treasures  of 
Toji.  To  reach  it,  we  pass  through  the  red  gate  to  the 
right  of  the  Kondo,  cross  a  picturesque  stone  bridge 
which  cuts  a  long  lotus  pond  or  moat  in  two,  and  turning 
to  the  right  again,  find  ourselves  almost  at  once  before 
the  forbidding  black  gate  which  fronts  it. 

In  the  Kwanchi-in  is  preserved  the  famous  series  of 
wooden  statues  called  the  G6-Dai-K6kuzo,  Figure  118. 
This  is  one  of  the  oldest  series  of  wooden  statues  still  to 
be  seen  in  the  Orient,  for  in  the  modeling  of  the  figures 
one  finds  distinct  traces  of  the  merger  of  the  art  styles  of 
the  Southern  and  Northern  Chinese  Schools  of  sculpture. 
This  merger  seems  to  have  taken  place  about  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Sui  Dynasty,  upon  which  account  these 
figures  are  said  to  date  from  about  589-617  A.  D.  Each 
image  is  some  two  feet,  four  inches  in  height,  and  each 
of  the  deities  is  seated  upon  the  back  of  a  bird  or  animal. 
The  first  figure,  that  seated  upon  a  peacock  (left),  is 

158 


T6ji 

Padma  of  the  West,  who  has  vowed  to  benefit  those  who 
wish  to  be  born  again  in  the  "  Pure  Land  of  Bliss/'  The 
second,  seated  upon  a  shrine,  is  Karma-Choga  of  the 
North,  who  has  vowed  to  subdue  devils  and  to  keep  harm 
away  from  all  believers.  The  third,  upon  a  horse,  is 
Dharmadhatu,  who  is  vowed  to  assist  all  who  are  engaged 
in  advancing  the  cause  of  Buddhism.  The  fourth,  seated 
upon  an  elephant,  is  Ratna-prabhasa,  who  should  be 
prayed  to  by  all  those  true  believers  who  wish  to  be 
rich,  noble  and  wise.  And  the  last,  the  figure  seated 
upon  a  lion,  is  Vajra  of  the  East,  who  has  vowed  to  bene- 
fit those  who  seek  long  life  and  a  good  social  position. 
Temple  tradition  has  it  that  these  five  blackened  figures 
originally  belonged  to  the  great  Chinese  temple  of  Ching- 
lung-ssu  at  Hsian,  the  T'ang  capital  in  the  Province  of 
Shenshi.  They  are  said  to  have  been  brought  from  China 
by  a  certain  priest  Yeni  Sozu,  who,  like  Kukai  and  others, 
had  gone  to  China  to  study  Buddhism.  He  returned  to 
Japan  in  the  year  847.  How  Yeni  managed  to  take  the 
figures  away  from  the  monastery  is  a  matter  of  specu- 
lation. 

In  the  corner  beyond,  shrouded  in  semi-gloom,  sits  an 
incense-strained  image  of  Fudo,  Figure  119.  Fudo  sym- 
bolized the  power  of  self-restraint,  the  power  of  binding 
the  passions  that  burn  within  the  heart  of  man.  Here 
Fudo  sits  cross-legged  upon  a  queer  stand,  which  may 
be  intended  to  represent  blocks  of  wood  to  furnish  the 
fire  (typifying  evil  passions)  in  which  he  is  able  to  sit 
unscathed.  His  form  is  well-modeled  and  the  angry 
knitting  of  his  brows,  the  crooked  eyes,  the  protruding 
fangs,  and  the  long  tightly  bound  strand  of  hair  which 
falls  over  his  left  shoulder  are  all  skillfully  reproduced. 


KY6TO 

In  his  right  hand  he  grips  a  sword;  in  his  left,  a  cord. 

In  the  short  history  of  Kukai,  given  above,  we  have 
referred  to  the  fact  that  Kukai,  while  still  at  Ching-lung- 
ssu,  drew  the  features  of  many  of  the  images  preserved  in 
that  famous  monastery,  that  he  might  reproduce  them  in 
wood  after  his  return  to  Japan.  This  portrait  of  Fudo 
is  probably  modeled  from  one  of  those  sketches.  Thus 
it  would  have  been  produced  somewhere  between  the 
years  807,  when  he  came  to  Toji,  and  816,  when  he  re- 
tired to  Mount  Koya. 

And  not  only  the  sculptural  but  the  pictorial  arts  of 
both  China  and  Japan  are  well  represented  at  Toji. 

The  first  pictorial  treasure  brings  us  into  close  con- 
tact with  several  names  with  which  we  are  by  now 
familiar.  We  have  already  seen  that  Kukai's  teacher, 
the  venerable  Hui-kwo,  presented  him  with  certain  paint- 
ings by  the  Chinese  (T'ang)  artist  Li  Chen.  It  is  to  one 
of  these  very  paintings  to  which  we  would  now  refer, 
Figure  120.  The  portrait  of  the  Indian  Amoghavajra  is 
one  of  a  set  of  seven  kakemono,  five  of  which  (including 
this)  were  painted  by  Li  Chen,  and  two  by  Kukai,  in  the 
style  of  Li  Chen. 

Of  the  artist  Li  Chen,  little,  if  anything,  is  known ;  but 
he  may  perhaps  be  identified  with  a  painter  of  the  same 
name  who  lived  during  the  Chen-yuan  Period  of  the  late 
eighth  century.  This  portrait  of  the  Indian  missionary 
and  Buddhist  teacher,  together  with  the  other  paintings 
of  the  series,  is  of  great  interest  to  students  of  Japanese 
art.  The  set  has  served  as  models  to  many  a  later 
Japanese  artist.  Li  Chen  has  represented  Amoghavajra, 
as  a  rather  coarse-featured  man  of  the  coolie  type.  There 
is  little  of  the  priest  about  him,  other  than  his  black  kesa, 

1 60 


•I 


Fig.  122.  Detail  from  Six-Fold 
Screen.  Middle  Fujiwara  Epoch, 
986-1072  or  Earlier. 

Toji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  123.  Trilokajit.  Colours  on 
Silk.  Attributed  to  Koto  Daishi. 
Perhaps  Chinese,  T'ang  Dynasty  (8th 
Century).  Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  124.  Yamadeva.  Col- 
ours on  Silk.  Attributed  to 
Yeri  Sozu,  851-935. 

Kwanchi-in,     Toji,     Kyoto. 


Fig.  125.  Varuna.  Colours  on  Silk. 
Possibly  a  Fujiwara  Copy  of  Kobo  Dai- 
shi's  Copy  of  a  Chinese  (T'ang)  Paint- 
ing. Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.   126.     Kwannon.     Colours  and 
on    Silk.     Attributed   to    Moto- 
mitsu   Kasuga    (llth  Century). 

Toji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  127.  Kwannon.  Colours  and 
Gold  on  Silk.  Attributed  to  Taka- 
yoshi  Kasuga  (llth  Century). 

Toji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  128.  Kwannon.  Colours  on 
Silk.  Kasuga  School  (llth-12th 
Century).  Toji,  Kyoto. 

Tajima   "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  129.  Mandara.  Colours  on 
Silk.  Copy  (?)  of  a  Chinese 
(T'ang)  Original  after  Kobo  Dai- 
shi.  Attributed  to  the  Eleventh- 
Twelfth  Centuries. 

Toji,   Kyoto. 


T6JI 

bald  head  and  clasped  hands.  The  heavy  lines  of  his 
face,  his  large  nose  and  the  blue-black  line  of  his  close- 
shaven  beard,  so  truthfully  indicated  by  the  T'ang  artist, 
but  serve  to  impress  one  with  his  uncouthness,  yet,  like 
others  in  this  series,  his  quiet  air  of  introspection  does 
much  to  offset  this  impression  of  unrefinement.  A  bril- 
liant note  of  color  is  struck  by  the  Coromandel-red  (lac- 
quer?) of  the  central  part  of  the  dais  upon  which  he  sits, 
the  lower  part  being  black  (lacquer?)  and  his  robe  a  deep 
full  black  of  the  richest  quality. 

The  sadly  damaged  portrait  of  Lung-meng,  Figure  121, 
is  one  of  the  two  paintings  by  Kukai,  alluded  to  above. 
Lung-meng  was  a  native  of  South  India,  and  the  founder 
of  one  of  the  esoteric  sects  of  Buddhism.  He  is  supposed 
to  have  flourished  sometime  during  the  early  third  cen- 
tury A.  D.  As  Kukai  has  represented  him,  Lung-meng 
seems  far  more  the  priest  than  does  Amoghavajra,  though 
there  is  little  of  the  aesthetic  in  his  rotund  form  and  full 
face.  In  company  with  the  other  patriarchs  of  the  series, 
Lung-meng  sits  upon  a  square  dais  raised  upon  four  low 
feet.  His  robes  are  colored  a  rich  coral  red,  broken  here 
and  there  by  broad  bands  of  black.  In  his  right  hand  he 
grasps  a  large  sanko  or  diamond  club,  one  of  a  number 
of  somewhat  similar  objects  which  today  are  used  to 
symbolize  the  irresistible  power  of  meditation  and  incan- 
tation. 

The  preservation  of  these  ancient  works  of  art  by 
Japan  shows  what  a  debt  the  student  of  Chinese  art  owes 
to  the  Island  Empire,  for,  so  far  as  we  know  at  present, 
little  of  the  kind  has  survived  to  us  in  the  Middle  King- 
dom itself. 

Thus,  we  may  note  the  T'ang  artists'  feeling  for  sim- 

161 


KYOTO 

plicity  coupled  with  fine  distinction  of  line,  the  quiet 
dignity  of  portraiture  —  and  that  with  the  minimum  of 
light  and  shade.  Again,  the  rhythm  of  the  series  —  so 
distinctive  a  feature  of  the  pictorial  art  of  both  China 
and  her  pupil,  Japan  —  would,  in  itself,  be  enough  to  rank 
these  age-stained  paintings  among  the  ancient  pictorial 
treasures  of  the  world. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  kinship,  in  the  mind 
of  the  Oriental,  between  chirography  and  painting,  a  re- 
lationship, of  course,  which  applies  rather  to  monochrome 
or  sumi  sketches  than  to  color-painting.  Yet,  we  can- 
not refrain  from  pointing  to  Kukai's  skill  in  the  handling 
of  the  half-dry  brush  as  evinced  in  the  flowing  char- 
acters with  which  he  has  further  embellished  the  faded 
silks.  A  well-nigh  unique  work  of  art,  attributed  to  the 
Middle  Fujiwara  Period,  968-1072,  is  the  landscape  and 
figure  design  which  embellish  one  of  the  so-called 
senzui  byobu  screens  (six-fold)  said  to  have  been  pre- 
sented by  Hui-kwo  to  Kukai  and  brought  back  by  him 
from  China,  Figure  126  (detail  of  central  panel). 
Though  strong  T'ang  influence  pervades  the  design,  the 
screens  are  undoubtedly  the  work  of  a  Japanese  artist. 
The  Sinicizing  of  Japan  during  the  Heian  Epoch  accounts 
perhaps  for  the  fact  that  the  figures  are,  in  the  main, 
dressed  in  the  Chinese  style.  Yet  the  youth  to  the  left 
of  the  nobleman  with  the  fan,  wears  his  hair  dressed  in 
the  mizura  style  of  Nara  days  (8th  century).  The  method 
of  handling  the  colors  is  essentially  Japanese,  while  gold- 
leaf,  too,  is  a  feature  of  the  saddle  of  the  nobleman's 
horse. 

It  may  not  be  at  all  improbable  that  the  screen  is  an 
ancient  copy  of  one  actually  brought  home  by  Kukai,  but 

162 


T6JI 

as  to  its  author,  nothing  is  known.  Fenollosa  tenta- 
tively attributes  it  to  Kanaoka's  son,  Kanetada.  An- 
other rare  example  of  the  Chinese  style  of  the  Middle 
T'ang,  and  one  of  five  paintings  similarly  attributed  to 
Kukai,  is  illustrated  in  Figure  123.  The  design,  exe- 
cuted in  brilliant,  if  somewhat  subdued,  colors  on  a 
brown-stained  silk,  represents  Trilokajit  (Visknu?)  one 
of  those  terrifying  deities  of  which  Buddhism  provides 
so  many  examples,  the  patron  of  epileptics  and  of  those 
possessed.  In  contrast  to  the  simplicity  and  quiet  dig- 
nity of  T'ang  portraiture,  we  may  here  study  the  ability 
of  the  T'ang  artist  to  render  action.  For  this  painting  — 
not  improbably  one  of  Kukai's  "copies  of  Buddhas" 
brought  back  from  Ching-lung-ssu  —  depicts  a  wildly 
gesticulating  and  hideously  vociferating  demon  in  the 
act  of  trampling  underfoot  Maheshvara  and  Uma,  an  un- 
fortunate couple  who  hesitated  to  embrace  Buddhism. 
The  painting  is  not  an  original,  however,  for  ancient 
documents  prove  that  they  were  destroyed  in  the  year 
1128  by  a  fire  which  razed  the  treasury  to  the  ground. 
Hogen  Mimazaka  reproduced  them  in  the  old  style. 

A  beautiful  Buddhist  painting  is  that  of  the  Emma-6 
or  Yama-deva,  Figure  124.  To  appreciate  the  tender  con- 
ception of  this  devarajah  we  should  know  that  there  are 
two  types  of  this  Brahmanistic  divinity.  The  earliest, 
that  of  the  Vedas,  loves  to  represent  him  as  the  benificent 
god  who  conducts  the  souls  of  the  faithful  to  Paradise, 
of  which  he  is  the  ruler.  The  Emma-6  of  later  Brah- 
manism  became  the  "  Regent  of  Hell,"  of  whom  so  many 
terrifying  images  exist  in  Japan  today.  The  varied  ex- 
pressions of  hell's  regent  lent  themselves  readily  to  the 
peculiar  genius  of  the  Kamakura  sculptor,  more  es- 

163 


KYOTO 

pecially  in  his  ability  to  render  all  that  was  supremely 
demoniac  and  horrifying. 

Temple  tradition  would  attribute  this  painting  to  one 
of  Toji's  former  prelates,  Yeri  Sozu,  an  able  artist  who 
flourished  about  the  first  quarter  of  the  tenth  century. 
Though  it  preserves  somewhat  of  T'ang  style,  it  is  the 
art  of  T'ang  Japonicized.  Further,  the  use  of  gold-leaf 
alone  would  characterize  the  painting  as  the  work  of  an 
artist  of  Japan. 

In  similar  style,  and  probably  of  about  the  same 
date  are  the  pictures  of  Indra  and  Varuna  illustrated 
in  Figure  125.  They  are  traditionally  attributed  to 
Kukai,  though  the  conflagration  of  1128  no  doubt  de- 
stroyed his  originals.  For  this  reason,  they  are  thought 
by  many  Japanese  critics  to  be  copies  of  Kukai's  copies 
of  T'ang  paintings.  At  any  rate,  the  paintings  are  of 
interest  still,  apart  from  their  beauty,  since  they  serve, 
to  some  extent,  to  preserve  for  us  the  esoteric  style  of 
the  T'ang  artist. 

To  the  end  of  the  Fujiwara  Period,  1072-1155,  and  to 
the  artist  Kasuga  Motomitsu  is  attributed  the  Kwannon 
(Fukukenzaku)  illustrated  in  Figure  126.  As  to  the 
author,  opinions  differ,  though  there  is  little  doubt  that 
the  painting  is  a  work  of  both  his  school  and  epoch,  nth 
Century. 

The  style  of  this  beautiful  picture  —  too  worn  and 
stained,  alas,  to  be  well  reproduced,  is  that  affected  by 
the  painters  attached  to  the  Kofukuji  at  Nara,  the  men 
of  the  Kasuga  or,  as  it  later  became,  K6-T6sa  School. 

The  Kasuga,  a  branch  of  the  Kose,  or  T'ang-derived 
native  school  of  Kanaoka,  is  supposed  to  have  been 
founded  by  either  Kasuga  Motomitsu,  or  Takayoshi,  dur- 

164 


Fig.   130.     Aizen   Myo-6.      Colours 


Fig. 
on    Silk.      Attributed    to    the    Priest        Goddess.      Detail   from    Screen.      At- 


131.       Chandra,     the     Moon 


Hanshun,   1037-1112.        Toji,   Kyoto. 


tributed  to   Takuma   Shoga,    1191. 

Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  133.  Pine  Tree.  Sumi 
and  Wash  Colours  on  Paper. 
By  Okyo,  1733-1754. 

Kwanchi-in,  Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.   134.      Pagoda.        Erected      951 
A.  D.     Daigoji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon  Seikwa," 


Fig.   132. 
lir   Six-Fold   Gold   Screens 


a  Pa 
(1754). 


Dragon  in  Tempest.  One  of 
Gold  Screens.  By  Okyo 
Kwanchi-in,  Toji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  135.  Painting  on  Columns 
Interior  of  Pagoda.  Attributed  to 
the  Year  951.  Daigoji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.   137.        Painting  on   Gold   Screen.        By 
Sekkei    Yamaguchi     (Sosettsu),    1611-1669. 

Daigoji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.    138.     Painting    on    Gold    Screen.      Un- 
known  Kanp   artist.      Seventeenth   Century. 

Daigoji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  139.  Painting  in 
Sumi  and  Wash  Colours. 
By  Motonobu,  1476-1559. 
Style  of  Hsia  Kuci  of 
Southern  Sung  (12th  Cen- 
tury) . 

JVlyoshinji,    Kyoto, 


T6ji 

ing  the  latter  half  of  the  eleventh  century.  It  was  not 
until  the  early  fourteenth  century,  however,  that  this  line 
of  artists  dropped  the  name  Kasuga,  in  favor  of  that  of 
Tosa.  The  change,  in  fact,  started  with  Tosa  Tsunetaka, 
an  artist  who  flourished  during  the  first  half  of  the  four- 
teenth century. 

Of  Kasuga  Takayoshi's  art,  this  Kwanchi-in  possesses 
a  sadly  damaged  but  exquisite  example,  Figure  127. 
Like  that  of  Motomitsu,  it  is  painted  in  brilliant  colors 
and  gold-leaf  on  fine  silk.  It  represents  the  Eleven-faced 
Kwannon  with  two  of  his  essential  characteristics,  wis- 
dom and  love,  personified  by  the  figures  of  the  man  and 
woman  beside  his  throne. 

To  the  school  of  Motomitsu  and  Takayoshi  also  be- 
long the  five  superb  paintings  on  silk  which  represented 
five  of  the  six  forms  under  which  the  Goddess  Kwannon 
(Avalokitesvara)  may  be  represented.  One  of  the  six 
is  illustrated  in  Figure  128. 

The  first  shows  the  form  of  the  Sho-Kwannon,  the 
Great  and  Compassionate  One;  the  savior  of  the  souls 
in  limbo.  To  such  as  address  their  prayers  to  him, 
this  Kwannon  vouchsafes  a  welcome  to  the  Land  of 
Bliss. 

These  deities,  calm  and  serene  in  pose  and  feature,  in 
the  studied  arrangement  of  their  robes  enriched  with 
intricate  and  detailed  ornaments,  are  characteristic  ex- 
amples of  the  art  of  the  Kasuga  School  of  Nara.  The 
beautiful  mandala  in  colors  on  silk,  Figure  129,  one  of 
the  best  preserved  of  Toji's  many  pictorial  treasures, 
represents  still  another  phase  of  T'ang  art.  It  was 
painted  to  illustrate  a  certain  chapter  of  a  Buddhist  work 
translated  into  Chinese  by  that  early  patriarch  of  Bud- 

165 


KY6TO 

dhism,  Amoghavajra,  whose  history  and  portrait  we  have 
already  discussed. 

We  see  one  of  thoi»e  Sui  or  T'ang  Dynasty  pavilions, 
whose  general  form  is  still  preserved  today  in  the 
Japanese  mikoshi  or  religious  palanquins.  In  the  centre 
sits  "  the  preaching  Shaka " :  at  well-spaced  intervals 
sit  or  stand  the  Four  Heavenly  Kings,  Vaprapani, 
Manivadjra,  and  other  deities.  The  two  "  reciters  of  the 
law,"  who  kneel  on  each  side  of  the  lotus-pond,  are 
typical  T'ang  portraits  as  we  have  already  studied  them 
through  Li  Chen  and  Kukai.  Indeed,  this  mandala  is 
still  another  work  of  art  said  to  have  been  brought  from 
China  by  the  latter;  and  documents  prove  that  one  such 
did  in  fact  exist.  But  one  must  again  consider  it  a  copy, 
since  the  original  perished  no  doubt  in  the  fire  of  1128. 
Though  the  composition  and  spacing  of  this  mandala 
present  to  our  eyes  a  somewhat  formal,  embroidery-like 
style,  the  general  result  is,  none  the  less,  most  pleasing. 
For  the  unknown  artist  possessed  an  extraordinary  skill 
in  detail  work,  whether  it  was  architectural  or  figurative, 
as  in  the  charming  costumes  of  the  many  deities  he  has 
introduced  and  more  especially  in  the  airy  robes  and 
flying  veils  and  banderoles  of  the  little  tennin  or  Buddhist 
angels  represented  as  in  the  act  of  descending  hot-haste 
from  the  skies. 

But  especially  fine  is  the  soft  tone  of  the  once  brilliant 
colors ;  soft  pink,  red,  green,  blue,  yellow  and  white  that 
seem  to  sink  into  the  age-stained  silk  and  blend  with  it. 

From  the  purely  religious  calm  of  this  rarely  beauti- 
ful altar-piece,  we  may  turn  once  more  to  horror  as 
represented  in  Hanshun's  kakemono  on  silk  of  Aizen 
My 6-6,  Figure  130. 

166 


T6JI 

If  Hanshun  is  indeed  the  author  of  this  work,  the 
kakemono  was  painted  toward  the  end  of  the  eleventh  or 
early  in  the  twelfth  century.  For  Hanshun  was  chap- 
lain to  the  Emperor  Shirakawa,  1073-1086,  and  later 
High-Priest  of  this  temple  of  Toji,  where  indeed  he  died 
in  iii2. 

In  spite  of  the  date  of  its  production,  the  painting  is 
still  in  T'ang  style.  For,  during  this,  the  Kamakura 
Period,  1086-1333,  Japanese  Buddhistic  art  of  the 
esoteric  type  still  found  a  few  representatives  who  con- 
tinued to  adhere  to  the  earlier  school,  and  this  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  painting  in  the  new  or  Sung  (Chinese) 
style  29  was  soon  to  oust  them  entirely  from  the  field. 

And  Toji  possesses  numerous  examples  of  this  new 
style  of  art,  notably  in  her  famous  set  of  twelve  kake- 
mono, now  screen-panels,  embellished  with  the  figures 
of  the  twelve  devas  or  Juniten.  The  most  beautiful  of 
the  set  are  Surya  and  Chandra,  the  Sun  and  Moon  god- 
desses. The  latter  is  illustrated  in  Figure  131.  Painted 
by  Takuma  Shoga  in  1191,  the  series  represents  what 
may  be  called  the  style  of  the  Sung-derived  Takuma 
School  at  its  best.  This  is  evinced  in  the  tender  poses; 
in  the  calm  beauty  of  the  pure  faces ;  in  the  charming  ar- 
rangement of  the  robes  —  where  intricate  and  detailed 
ornament  is  happily  considered  a  non-essential  —  above 
all,  in  the  deft  and  varied  brushwork,  as  seen  in  Shoga's 
readiness  and  ability  to  depict  the  delicate  features  of 
her  charming  subjects,  or  the  grandly  sweeping  curves 
of  their  costumes,  now  heavy,  now  light. 

The  long  slim  forms  are  naturally  modelled,  and  about 

29  Periods:  Northern  Sung  Dynasty,  960-1127;  Southern  Sung,  1127- 
1279;  Yuan  or  Mongol  Dynasty,  1280-1368. 

167 


KYOTO 

them  gauzy  veils  fly  out  from,  the  semitransparent  and 
tightly  clinging  folds  of  their  softly  shimmering  robes. 
Chandra  the  Moon,  perhaps  the  most  charming  of  these 
devaraja,  is  thus  daintily  rendered.  Upon  her  lovely 
face,  a  pure  Hindoo  profile,  is  seen  an  expression  of  the 
utmost  tenderness  and  purity.  Her  softly  rounded  arms 
are  outstretched  before  her,  and  in  the  hollow  of  her 
supple  hands  she  supports  the  silver  cup  of  a  gleaming 
crescent-moon.  Above  its  rim  peeps  a  tiny  rabbit,  a 
white  bunny,  all  velvet  ears  and  fluffy,  downy  jacket. 

The  Sun-goddess  Surya,  for  freedom  and  grace  of  pose, 
closely  rivals  her  sister  devara.  The  brilliant  but  mel- 
lowed colors  too,  have  been  laid  on  with  all  the  fluency 
and  variety  of  brush-stroke  that  speaks  so  strongly  of 
the  Sung  style,  as  affected  by  artists  of  the  Takuma 
School,  to  which  this  series  belongs. 

Through  the  importation  of  Chinese  paintings  of 
Sung  date,  and  more  especially  through  the  influence  ex- 
erted by  the  painting  of  such  great  Chinese  masters  as 
Chang-ssu-kung,  Li  Lung-mien,  Liang-chieh,  Yen  Hui, 
etc.,  a  new  Japanese  school  had  sprung  up  toward  the 
end  of  the  Fujiwara  Epoch,  or  about  1072-1155.  This 
school,  the  Takuma,  did  not  reach  its  full  development, 
however,  until  the  beginning  of  the  Kamakura  Period, 
1186-1333. 

As  we  have  said  above,  these  two  paintings,  together 
with  the  other  ten  of  the  series,  are,  perhaps,  from  the 
hand  of  Takuma  Shoga,  being  signed  and  dated  in  the 
2d  year  of  Kankyu  or  1191.  Of  Shoga  very  little  is 
known,  as  indeed  of  any  of  the  school.  But  both  Shoga 
and  Eiga,  his  son  (?),  were  elevated  to  the  rank  of 
Hogen,  and  their  school  —  perhaps  starting  with  Shoga 

168 


T6jl 

—  appointed  to  take  charge  of  affairs  in  the  Kasuga  Art 
Bureau,  Nara.  Shoga  may  perhaps  have  been  a  descend- 
ant of  Takuma  Tameto  (Sochi),  who  lived  toward  the 
end  of  the  Fujiwara  Period,  and  seems  to  have  been  in- 
fluenced, to  some  extent,  by  Sung  art.  But  this  is  specu- 
lation! We  are  merely  sure  of  this  —  that,  during  the 
Kamakura  Period,  there  flourished  the  four  most  im- 
portant members  of  the  school,  Shoga,  Eiga,  Tametoki 
and  Tameyiiki,  very  little  of  whose  work  has  survived 
to  our  day.  The  Kwanchi-in  possesses  one  other  good 
painting,  and  this  a  large  Nehanso  or  "  Death  of  Shaka." 
The  Buddha  is  represented  as  stretched  out  upon  his 
right  side  at  full  length.  About  him  stand,  kneel  or 
even  grovel  in  an  ecstasy  of  grief,  gods,  demi-gods,  saints, 
patriarchs,  birds  and  beasts.  The  agonized  features  of 
some  of  the  dainty  little  bodhisattva  are  strikingly  remin- 
iscent of  a  trecento  "  deposition "  or  "  martyrdom." 
Their  rosebud  mouths  are  twisted  all  out  of  shape,  their 
rosy  cheeks  are  drawn  and  furrowed,  and  their  little  eyes, 
indicated  as  the  finest  of  hair-lines,  are  represented  as 
mere  slits  from  which  huge  tears  descend  in  torrents. 
Still  another,  though  a  far  later  school,  is  represented 
among  the  pictorial  treasures  of  the  Kwanchi-in.  The 
two  well-known  folding-screens,  one  of  which  is  illus- 
trated in  Figure  132,  are  early  productions  of  one 
of  the  great  artists  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Maru- 
yama  6kyo,  1733-1795.  6kyo,  at  first,  came  under 
the  influence  of  the  Kano  artists,  as  he  studied  for  a 
number  of  years  with  Ishida  Yutei  (d.  1786).  He  next 
turned  his  attention  to  the  works  of  the  Chinese  masters 
of  the  Sung  and  Ming,  notably  those  of  Chien  Shun- 
chu  and  Kin  Ying.  The  third  phase  of  his  art,  char- 

169 


KYOTO 

acterized  by  an  extraordinary  truthfulness  in  the  delinea- 
tion of  natural  objects,  resulted  in  the  founding  of  what 
is  commonly  called  the  Maruyama  School.  We  are  ac- 
customed to  think  of  6kyo  as  the  painter  of  marvelously 
realistic  carp ;  of  green-eyed  tigers  that  seem  to  breathe ; 
of  tufted  cranes  which,  in  their  startling  realism,  one 
fully  expects  to  spring  from  the  screens  or  fusuma  at  a 
word  or  gesture.  But  the  superb  dragons  of  Kwanchi-in 
reveal  him  as  the  imaginative  artist  as  well.  Truly, 
these  hurtling  beasts,  fit  symbols  of  storm  and  tempest, 
bear  out  one  of  Okyo's  instructions  to  artists:  "The 
art  of  painting  is  chiefly  to  depict  the  form  of  an  object, 
and  to  convey  the  spirit  to  those  who  gaze  upon  it." 

Were  it  not  for  the  gold  background,  6kyo's  dragons 
might  well  rank  with  Muchi's  famous  conception  of  the 
same  subject,  two  splendid  monochromes  on  silk,  which 
we  recently  purchased  from  the  temple  of  Daitokuji  for 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  New  York.  In  his 
"  Old  Pine  Tree,"  Figure  133,  a  charming  sketch  in  ink 
and  slight  colours  on  paper,  one  may  enjoy  another  ex- 
pression of  his  many-sided  genius.  Here  is  a  design 
done  straight  from  Nature  and  probably  attributable  to 
the  period  of  his  prime.  For  Nature  was  his  sole  inspira- 
tion during  the  third  or  last  phase  of  his  artistic  career. 
One  may  vary  the  return  trip  to  Kyoto  by  a  visit  to  the 
Katsura-no-Rikyu  or  "  Katsura  Summer  Palace."  For- 
merly owned  by  the  Katsura  family,  by  whom  indeed  it 
was  laid  out  early  in  the  seventeenth  century,  this  first  of 
all  Japanese  gardens  served  in  recent  years  as  a  summer 
villa  for  the  late  Emperor  Mutsuhito  (Meiji  Tenno). 
Reproduced  from  designs  prepared  by  the  famous 
courtier  and  aesthete  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshu,  1577-1645,  it 

170 


DAIGOJI 

is  not  only  remarkable  for  the  great  beauty  of  its  many 
varied  views  or  hakkei,  but  it  also  possesses  many 
notable  furnishings.  Among  these,  the  small  but  char- 
acteristic sepia  drawings  of  the  fusuma  by  Kano  Tannyu 
(i7th  century)  are  especially  admired. 

DAIG6JI 

In  company  with  many  of  the  more  ancient  temples  of 
Kyoto,  Daigoji  lies  at  some  distance  from  the  city 
proper.  This  temple  was  founded  in  the  sixth  year  of  the 
Emperor  Daigo  (904),  though  many  of  the  buildings,  as 
we  see  them  today,  are  much  later  in  date.  The  greater 
number  indeed  were  restored  by  Hideyoshi  toward  the 
end  of  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Priests  of  Daigoji, 
like  those  in  the  more  ancient  temple  of  Toji  (q.  v.)  af- 
fect Kobo  Daishi's  Yogacharya  or  Shingon  doctrine,  that 
mystic  form  of  Buddhism  which  concerns  itself  much 
with  spells,  incantations  and  magic  formulae.  Yet,  the 
temple  is  dedicated  to  Miroku,  the  last  Buddha  of  this 
world,  whose  return  to  earth  is  to  be  looked  for  some 
5000  years  after  Shaka's  death  or  "  entrance  into 
Nirvana"  (477  B.C.). 

It  is  a  long  ride  to  Daigoji,  yet  one  of  the  most  de- 
lightful to  be  had  in  and  about  Kyoto.  And  should  one 
be  so  fortunate  as  to  reach  this  charmingly  picturesque 
spot  about  the  8th-ioth  of  April,  Daigoji's  cherry  avenues 
will  be  a  never-forgettable  memory. 

To  visit  Daigoji's  pagoda,  one  of  the  oldest  of  her 
buildings,  we  walk  up  the  long  cherry  avenue  to  the  great 
red  Sammon  or  portal,  guarded,  as  usual,  by  a  pair  of 
wildly  gesticulating  and  supermuscular  Nio,  the  latter 
perhaps,  of  early  Kamakura  date  (1186-1333).  The  arch- 

171 


KY6TO 

ing  line  of  pines  beyond  conducts  to  a  small  temple, 
which  immediately  faces  the  tree-set  pagoda,  Figure  141. 

The  little  red  and  white  temple,  apart  from  its  pic- 
turesque roof  and  a  few  painted-wood  statues  of  little 
aesthetic  beauty,  is  hardly  worth  a  visit.  But  the 
splendid  five-storied  pagoda  is  attractive  in  various  ways. 
Dating,  as  it  does,  from  the  fifth  year  of  Tenryaku 
(95Z)>  it  exhibits  much  of  the  T'ang  (Chinese)  style  of 
architecture,  and  at  the  same  time,  preserves  within  its 
lower  story  some  rare  examples  of  the  pictorial  art  of 
the  tenth  century,  Figure  135. 

Originally  painted  in  brilliant  tones  of  red,  pink,  blue, 
green,  white  and  black,  the  colors  are  now  faded,  the 
designs  —  purely  Buddhistic  —  sadly  battered  and  age- 
worn.  At  center  are  two  seated  figures  of  Shaka  (?), 
one  above  the  other,  smaller  figures  of  lesser  deities  being 
arranged  immediately  above  and  below  them  in  groups 
of  six.  Flower  vases  are  placed  on  each  side  of  the  head 
of  the  lower  Shaka  —  the  whole  design  being  relieved 
against  a  dark  blue  ground,  shot  with  small  stars.  This 
hieratic  design  appears  to  have  been  founded  upon  that 
typical  painting  of  the  Tendai  sect,  the  mandara  or 
mystic  circle,  a  style  of  altar-piece  imported  from  China 
by  Kobo  Daishi  and  other  Japanese  students  of  the 
Middle  T'ang  Period  (early  gth  century).  Small 
wooden  figures  of  Kwannon  appear  to  date  from  the 
period  of  the  foundation  of  the  building  (loth  century). 

But  it  is  to  the  Apartments  that  one  must  direct  one's 
steps  in  order  to  enjoy  the  pictorial  treasures  of  this 
temple.  These  are  set  in  the  midst  of  a  charming  little 
garden,  whose  great  weeping-cherry  is  a  close  rival  to 
the  famous  Momoyama  of  the  capital.  The  garden  was 

172 


Fig.  J.Q6.  Monju.  Colours  on 
Silk.  Takuma  School  of  the  Twelfth 
Century.  Daigoji,  Kyoto. 


Tig.  140.  Painting  in  Sumi  and 
Wash  Colours.  The  Chinese  Musi- 
cian P6-ya.  By  Motonobu,  1476- 
1559,  in  Style  of  Hsia  Kwei  of  the 
Southern  Sung  (12th  Century). 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  141.  Painting  in 
Sumi  on  Paper.  Moon- 
light Snow  Scene.  By 
Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in 
Style  of  Yueh-kan  of  the 
Southern  Sung  (12th  Cen- 
tury) . 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  143.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Mountains  and  Lake.  By  Mo- 
tonobu, 1476-1559,  in  Style  of  Ma 
Yuan  of  the  Southern  Sung  (12th  Cen- 
tury). Myoshinji,  Kyoto, 


Fig.  142.  Painting  in  Sumi 
and  Wash  Colours.  Wagtails 
and  Waterfall.  By  Motonobu, 
1476-1559,  in  Style  of  Muchi  of 
the  Southern  Sung  (12th  Cen- 
tury). Myoshinji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  144.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Idealistic  Scene  in  the 
Hsiao  and  Hsiang  Valleys,  Honan, 
China.  By  Motonobu,  1476-1559,  in 
Style  of  Southern  Sung  (12th  Cen- 
tury) . 

Tokaian,   Myoshinji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  145.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Idealistic  Scene  in  the  Hsiao 
and  Hsiang  Valleys,  Honan,  China. 
By  Motonobu,  1476-1559. 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto, 


Fig.   146.     Monju.  Sumi       and 

Slight  Colours  on  Silk.     By  Ma  Lin, 

son    of    Ma    Yuan,    circa    1250    A.  D. 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto, 


DAIGOJI 

laid  out  by  the  landscape  gardener,  Kobori,  lord  of 
Enshu  (1577-1645),  a  master  of  super-artificial  artificiali- 
ties. Indeed,  Kobori's  elaborate  artificiality  is  well  ex- 
emplified in  this  little  garden,  which,  like  the  Palace  gar- 
den Katsura-no-Rikyu,  to  lovers  of  ancient  gardens  is  a 
source  of  the  keenest  delight. 

Upon  entering  the  Apartments  one's  eyes  are  im- 
mediately dazzled  by  vistas  of  gorgeous  fusuma  in  colors 
on  a  gold  ground;  boldly  executed  decorative  designs, 
which  one  feels  can  only  have  come  from  the  brain  and 
brush  of  some  great  master  of  the  Momoyama  School. 

Thus,  the  First  Room  contains  supremely  decorative 
designs  attributed  to  the  two  masters,  Kimara  Sanraku 
and  Ishida  Yutei  (i6th-i7th  Centuries).  Here  were 
splendid  panels  of  brilliant-plumaged  exotic  birds  and 
realistically  unreal  flowers  in  brilliant  and  solid  colors 
against  a  background  of  powdered  gold. 

And  it  is  here  that  one  sees  Daigoji's  most  ancient 
pictorial  treasure  —  the  famous  Monju,  Figure  136.  Tra- 
ditionally attributed  to  the  priestly  artist  Chinkai  (i2th 
century),  son  of  Fujiwara  Motomitsu,  this  beautiful  ex- 
ample of  Buddhistic  art  may  rather  be  ascribed  to  some 
unknown  master  of  the  Takuma  School  and  dated  to  the 
early  art  of  the  Kamakura  Period  (1186-1333). 

The  design  represents  Monju  seated  upon  a  lion,  and 
accompanied  by  his  attendants,  Hari  Sanzo,  Shantsai, 
Saisho  and  Uten.  In  the  grouping  of  the  subjects 
the  subordination  of  the  attendants  to  Monju  Bosatsu  is 
well  defined;  in  the  harmonious  effect  of  the  brilliant, 
though  now  somewhat  blackened  colours,  and  in  the 
assured  brushwork,  we  may  see  at  its  best  the  influence 
exerted  upon  the  artists  of  the  Takuma  School  by  the 

J73 


KY6TO 

lofty  style  of  the  Chinese  masters  of  the  Sung  Period, 
960-1127. 

A  mixture  of  many  schools  is  seen  in  Sekkei's  pair  of 
screens  decorated  with  birds  and  maple  trees,  of  which 
one  only  is  illustrated,  Figure  137.  Sekkei  Yamaguchi 
or  Sosetsu  (d.  1669)  is  said  to  have  studied  with  both 
Sakon  Hasegawa  and  Eino  Kano;  then  to  have  famil- 
iarized himself  with  the  works  of  the  (Chinese)  painter 
Muchi,  and  lastly  with  the  style  of  Japan's  great  land- 
scape artist  Sesshu.  And  we  might  almost  say  a  little 
of  the  genius  of  each  school  may  be  found  in  these 
charming  decorative  screens.  The  arrangement  evinces 
much  of  Kano;  the  masses  of  dazzling  color  recall  the 
art  of  Sotatsu;  in  the  drawing  of  the  tree  trunks  there 
are  hints  of  Sesshu  —  a  Sesshu  in  a  tender  mood ;  while 
the  handling  of  the  brush  work  shows  Sekkei's  personal 
mannerism. 

An  unusual  example  of  the  art  of  the  Kano  (  ?)  School 
is  the  large  screen  (one  of  two)  illustrated  under  Figure 
138.  The  designs,  representing  men  on  horseback,  are 
in  brilliant  but  subdued  colors  against  a  rich  gold  ground. 
The  subject  is  an  unusual  one  for  a  Kano  artist,  in  spirit 
reminiscent  of  the  old  Han  (Chinese)  huntsmen  on  cours- 
ing horses.  The  former  attribution  to  Matahei  was  to 
some  extent  borne  out  by  the  strong  Ukiyoye  feeling 
that  pervades  the  composition. 

And  this  work  of  a  Kano  artist  brings  us  back  to  a 
consideration  of  the  gorgeous  designs  that  ornament  the 
walls  of  the  various  rooms,  designs  upon  fusuma  and 
screens  from  the  hands  of  Kano  and  Maruyama  artists 
for  the  most  part. 

In  the  First  Room,  besides  the  gorgeous  fusuma  of 


DAIG6JI 

Sanraku,  alluded  to  above,  one  may  admire  two  charm- 
ing paper  screens  embellished  with  boughs  of  pale  pink 
cherry  blossoms  thrown  against  a  brilliant  ground  of  full 
gold-leaf.  These  exquisite  examples  of  Kano  decorative 
art  at  its  best,  are  from  the  hand  of  Okyo's  first  instructor 
—  Yutei,  the  Younger.  Here,  too,  stand  a  pair  of  small 
screens,  the  work  of  an  unknown  but  eminent  artist  of 
the  Kano  School,  upon  which  are  depicted  cherry- 
flowers  mixed  with  pawlonia  flowers  (crest  of  Hideyoshi) 
in  semi-relief  —  white  against  a  deep  red  ground.  Both 
sets  of  screens  are  of  historical  as  well  as  aesthetic  in- 
terest, for  they  once  formed  part  of  the  magnificent  fur- 
nishings of  Hideyoshi's  destroyed  palace  of  Momoyama 
(Fushimi). 

The  Second  Room  provides  a  wealth  of  material. 
With  more  of  Kimura  Sanraku's  delightful  fusuma  as  a 
background,  one  may  admire  Kano  Motonobu's  grand 
pines,  designs  thrown  into  strong  relief  against  a  back- 
ground of  full  gold-leaf. 

According  to  some,  the  Kano  School  was  founded  by 
Masanobu,  1453-1490.  Masanobu,  or  Yusei,  as  he  called 
himself  after  his  retirement,  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Kagenobu.  He  studied  under  Shubun  and  Sotan,  and 
familiarize  himself  with  the  work  of  the  great  Chinese 
masters  at  first  hand,  through  the  kindness  of  his  pro- 
tector, the  art-loving  Shogun  Yoshimasa.  For  that 
Japanese  "  Magnifico  "  had  placed  his  valuable  collection 
of  Chinese  art  at  Masanobu's  disposal,  together  with  that 
of  his  more  famous  grandfather,  the  Shogun  Yoshi- 
mitsu. 

But  it  is  rather  to  Yusei's  son,  Motonobu,  1476-1559, 
that  one  should  assign  the  honor  of  having  first  blended 


KY6TO 

the  art  of  the  native  or  Tosa  School,  with  that  of  the 
Chinese.  And  here  again  one  may  admire  the  famous 
"  Crows  in  Pine  Trees  "  by  Motonobu's  gifted  grandson, 
the  brilliant  Eitoku,  1543-1590,  of  whom  also  we  have  al- 
ready had  occasion  to  speak  at  length. 

But  still  another  daring  phase  of  Japanese  art  is  repre- 
sented here,  and  this  the  style  of  the  Koyetsu  (Korin) 
School,  which  had  its  first  beginnings  in  the  novel 
designs  and  brilliant  colors  of  Honami  Koyetsu  and 
Tawaraya  Sotatsu,  both  of  whom  may  be  said  to  be 
freakish  offshoots  of  the  native  Tosa  School.  The  great- 
est genius  of  the  School  was  Ogata  Korin,  an  imitator  of 
the  above,  and  for  him  this  school  of  strangely  novel 
and  often  absurdly  conventional  and  garishly  colored  de- 
signs has  sometimes  been  named. 

Here  are  two  pairs  of  glorious  gold  screens  by  Sotatsu ; 
one  set  decorated  with  fan-designs ;  the  other  aglow  with 
the  brilliant  autumn  foliage  of  the  Japanese  maple.  The 
colors  are  laid  on  with  all  of  Sotatsu's  accustomed  thick- 
ness of  brush,  and  the  effect  of  this  massed  richness  — 
a  characteristic  of  the  artist  —  is  well-nigh  overpowering. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  such  a  gorgeous  display  of  color 
well  suited  the  brilliant  brocaded  robes  and  costumes  af- 
fected by  the  bucks  of  the  splendour-loving  Genroku 
Period,  1688-1704. 

The  fusuma  of  the  Third  Room  are  decorated  in  sepia 
with  designs  of  hens  and  chickens  by  a  minor  artist  of 
the  Kano  School.  Yet  here  we  may  enjoy  one  of  the 
great  treasures  of  this  foundation,  a  large  pair  of  gold 
screens  by  that  able  follower  of  6kyo,  Matsumura  Kei- 
bun  (d.  1843).  These  screens  are  decorated  in  soft 
colors  with  some  of  Keibun's  inimitable  nature-studies; 

176 


Fig.  147.  Tekkai.  By  the  Chi- 
nese artist  Wu  Wei  in  Style  of  Wu 
Tao-tze  (Godoshi)  of  T'ang.  Ming 
Dynasty,  circa  1475. 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  148.  Painting  in  Sumi  and 
Light  Colours  on  Silk.  The  Full 
Moon  Rising  over  Chih-pi.  Unknown 
artist.  Ming  Dynasty  (15th  Cen- 
tury) or  Earlier. 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  149.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  By  Tohaku,  Toyotomi  Pe- 
riod, 1572-1602. 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  150.  Painting  in  Sumi  and 
Light  Colours  on  Paper.  Priest 
Catching  a  Catfish  with  a  Gourd. 
By  Josetsu,  Founder  of  the  Higashi- 
yama  School  (15th  Century). 

Myoshinji,    Kyoto, 


ir 

I"  I 

ws    » 
* 


DAIGOJI 

a  group  of  languorous  deer  of  most  amazing  delicacy  of 
treatment,  and  brilliantly  plumaged  pheasants  that  strut 
about  in  the  gorse  or  huddle  together  upon  the  branches 
of  blossoming  shrubs.  Most  characteristic  of  the 
Maruyama  method  and  style  are  these  rare  panels. 

To  reach  the  Fourth  Room,  one  passes  through  two 
sliding  doors  upon  which  Kano  Hidenobu  has  depicted  a 
No-Dancer  clad  in  a  white  robe,  and  a  splendidly  realistic 
crane,  the  latter  said  to  have  been  executed  by  the  artist 
when  but  twelve  years  of  age ! 

We  now  reach  a  small  chamber,  the  Fourth,  whose 
fusuma  or  sliding-screens  are  covered  with  sumi-ye  (ink- 
monochrome)  landscape  designs  by  Kimura  Sanraku, 
1558-1635.  Three  small  screens  stand  here,  of  which  but 
one  is  original,  screens  embellished  with  landscape  de- 
signs composed  of  the  queer  rounded,  blue  and  green- 
capped  hills,  Noah's-ark  cedars,  feathery  white  cherry 
trees,  and  miniature  figures  on  horseback,  which  the 
masters  of  the  old  Takuma  School  had  learned  from 
T'ang.  Indeed,  they  are  thoroughly  reminiscent  of 
Tamenari's  paintings  at  tjji.  In  the  main  hall  of  the 
last  house  stands  a  shrine  of  Jizo  (never  shown),  and  on 
either  side  of  it,  two  screens  embellished  with  reproduc- 
tions of  Takuma  Shoga's  masterpiece,  the  Devaraja,  the 
originals  of  which  are  to  be  seen  at  Toji  (q.  v.). 

The  Fifth  Room  is  especially  remarkable  for  its 
splendid  gilt  statue  of  Miroku,  the  Buddhist  Messiah, 
which  appears  to  be  a  work  of  early  Kamakura  date. 
The  figure  stands  upon  a  gilt  pedestal  embellished  with 
designs  of  Buddhist  fire-emblems  (hoshu-no-tama)  in- 
laid in  lustrous  mother-of-pearl.  In  its  right  hand  it 
holds  a  small  pagoda,  while  a  magnificent  gilt  mandorla, 

177 


KY6TO 

covered  with  floral  designs  and  small  Buddhas  in  relief, 
rises  like  a  golden  shell  behind  its  gracious  outline. 

If  we  are  to  believe  a  temple  tradition,  this  fine  piece  of 
wood-carving  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  sculptor  Kwaikei 
who,  with  "Onkei,  was  one  of  the  most  famous  sculptors 
of  the  Kamakura  Period,  1186-1333.  In  point  of  fact, 
there  is  absolutely  nothing  in  either  the  style  or  modelling 
of  Miroku,  to  justify  such  an  attribution. 

The  expressions  upon  the  faces  of  the  two  "  perfected 
saints  "  beside  him,  memorial-statues  in  wood  of  Raigen 
and  Kobo  Daishi,  are  most  sympathetically  rendered; 
that  of  Kobo  Daishi  in  particular,  having  just  that  air  of 
calm  introspection  which  one  would  naturally  associate 
with  the  face  of  such  a  man.  These  fine  memorial-sta- 
tues may  be  of  Ashikaga  date  (isth  century). 

MYOSHINJI 

The  many  buildings  of  this,  one  of  the  richest  of  all 
Zen  temples  in  objects  of  artistic  merit,  stand  within  a 
long  enclosure-wall,  which  is  especially  dignified  by  the 
white  stripes  of  the  suji-bei,  or  Imperial  cognizance.80 
Myoshinji  was  founded  early  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury by  Kwanzan  Kokushi,  and  here  came  the  Emperor 
Hanazono,  1308-1318,  after  his  retirement  from  the  in- 
cessant toil  of  state  affairs.  In  common  with  most  of 
the  Zen  foundations,  Myoshinji's  possesses  extensive 
grounds  (about  75  acres)  which,  from  the  first,  were 
planted  with  the  ever  picturesque  matsu  (Japanese 
pine).  One  of  these,  dating  from  1462,  is  a  veritable 
treasure  of  the  temple. 

Should  we  approach  Myoshinji  by  the  smaller  side- 
so  Showing  that  one  of  its   abbots  has  been  a  member  of  the  Imperial 
tine. 

178 


MY6SHINJI 

entrance  —  and  this  appears  today  to  be  the  usual  course 
—  we  shall  find  on  our  right  a  low  building  set  in  a 
small  but  charmingly  artificial  garden.  This  is  the 
Reiun-in,  of  Motonobu  fame,  and  a  temple  sacred  to  the 
memory  of  the  Emperor  G6-Nara  (i6th  century),  whose 
brocaded  cushion  is  still  pointed  out  with  great  respect 
by  the  priestly  guide. 

To  this  retired  dependency  came  Kano  Motonobu, 
1476-1559,  that  he  might  study  the  Zen  doctrine  under 
the  tutelage  of  the  abbot  Daikyu  6sho.  And  here  are 
preserved  forty-nine  large  paintings  (kakemono),  for- 
merly screen-paintings,  which  show  the  Japanese  Raf- 
faelli  at  his  best.  For,  of  the  many  pictorial  works  of 
art  preserved  in  Myoshinji,  this  set  of  monochrome  and 
lightly  coloured  kakemono  from  the  hand  of  the  great 
K6-hogen,  is  rightly  among  the  most  jealousy  guarded. 

As  to  Motonobu  himself,  we  have  already  seen 
(Daigoji)  that  he  was  a  son  of  Masonobu  —  an  eminent 
artist  of  the  Ashikaga  (i5th  century).  Motonobu  stud- 
ied the  great  Chinese  painters  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  in 
the  studio  of  his  father.  At  the  same  time  he  took  pains 
to  familiarize  himself  with  the  style  of  the  Yamato  or 
native  school,  under  Tosa  Mitsunobu,  his  father-in-law. 
His  ability  to  blend  the  Chinese  and  the  native  styles  re- 
sulted in  the  founding  of  the  Kano  School.  Again,  his 
knowledge  of  the  works  of  such  eminent  Chinese  masters 
as  Ma  Yuan,  Liang  Kai,  Hsia  Kwei,  Muchi,  and  Yen 
Hui,  resulted  in  his  ability  to  suit  his  style  to  his  sub- 
ject. Thus,  the  kakemono  of  Reiun-in,  the  charming 
design  illustrated  in  Figure  139,  shows  the  influence  of 
Hsia  Kwei  of  the  Southern  Sung.  Drawn  in  sumi  and 
light  colors,  it  represents  three  sages  or  litterati  who 

179 


KY6TO 

have  retired  to  a  most  picturesquely  situated  kiosk,  in 
order  to  discuss  the  merits  of  a  monochrome  sketch 
which  an  attendant  holds  up  before  them. 

In  the  style  of  Hsia  Kwei  again  is  the  sumi  and  wash- 
color  panel,  Figure  140.  It  represents  the  Chinese 
musician  Po-ya,  on  his  way  to  pay  a  visit  to  a  friend.  He 
stands  beneath  a  superb  old  pine,  to  the  beauties  of 
which  he  seems  to  be  directing  the  attention  of  his  two 
followers.  To  the  left,  a  roaring  cataract  is  seen  leap- 
ing from  a  rift  in  the  mist-enveloped  mountains.  More 
poetic  still  is  the  moonlight  snow  scene,  Figure  141, 
which  presents  to  us  yet  another  phase  of  his  art.  Here, 
Motonobu  has  turned  to  Yueh-kan  of  the  Southern  Sung. 
His  familiarity  with  the  works  of  Muchi  is  illustrated  in 
his  study  of  a  crane,  perched  upon  the  dead  limb  of  a 
pine  tree,  and  in  the  ink  and  wash-color  panel  of  wag- 
tails beside  a  waterfall,  Figure  142.  But,  Motonobu  is 
famous  above  all  for  his  landscapes  —  noble  vistas  of 
mist-enveloped  peak  and  precipitous  height,  at  the  foot 
of  which  peace  and  repose  are  exemplified  in  the  secluded 
thatched  cottage,  or  the  thin  lines  of  smoke  which  rise 
above  the  roofs  of  a  tree-embowered  village.  Figure  143 
depicts  a  delightful  bit  of  mountain  scenery  in  this  genre, 
handled  with  all  the  poetic  inspiration  of  Ma  Yuan.  His 
eight  famous  scenes  in  the  Hsiao  and  Hsiang  Valleys  in 
Honan  Province  are,  perhaps,  his  masterpieces.  These 
eight  scenes  of  the  lake  district  (two  are  illustrated  in 
Figures  145-146)  are  much  admired.  The  lake  region 
had  been  an  inspiration  to  Chinese  artists  as  early  as  the 
eleventh  century.  And  though  Motonobu  has  here  given 
us  his  conception  of  the  beauties  of  that  section  at  sec- 
ond hand,  through  his  acquaintance  with  the  works  of 

180 


MYOSHINJI 

the  Chinese  masters,  that  is,  a  glance  at  them  shows  how 
completely  he  has  caught  the  poetic  charm  and  light, 
but  masterly  rendering  of  his  delightful  theme.  These 
last  belong  to  another  small  dependency  of  Myoshinji, 
the  T6kai-an. 

And  Myoshinji  still  possesses  certain  of  the  original 
Chinese  paintings  which,  doubtless,  influenced  Motonobu 
and  other  famous  artists  of  Japan.  A  kakemono  in  sumi 
and  wash-colors,  Figure  146,  and  representing  the  god 
Fugen  seated  upon  an  elephant,  is  attributed  traditionally 
to  Ma  Lin  of  the  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (i2th  century). 
The  style  of  the  great  T'ang  painter,  Wu  Taotze,  is  very 
strongly  marked,  see  Figures  106-108.  It  may  well  be 
assigned  to  his  great  imitator,  Wu  Wei  (d.  1508).  In 
the  Shunko-in  of  Myoshinji  is  preserved  the  mono- 
chrome study  by  Chang  Lu,  in  which  that  little-known 
artist  has  depicted  Mang  Chien  returning  with  peaches, 
which  he  has  picked  in  "  Miraculous  Land."  A  large 
crane  bearing  a  scroll  in  its  beak  is  about  to  swoop  down 
at  his  feet.  How  skillfully  has  the  artist  drawn  the  pine 
tree  and  the  flying  skirts  of  the  old  sage's  robe,  all 
tossed  and  worried  by  the  hurtling  gusts  of  strong  moun- 
tain breeze.  The  attitude  of  the  stag  too,  shows  his 
timidity,  as  he  dashes  on  ahead  seeking  shelter  behind 
the  great  cliff  to  the  right. 

With  the  minimum  of  effort  and  an  economy  of  means 
that  is  astounding,  Chang  Lu  has  succeeded  in  placing 
before  us  his  poetic  conception  of  this  historical  scene. 
The  painting  recalls  to  our  minds  the  saying  of  an  an- 
cient Chinese  critic:  "Artists  who  are  concerned  with 
the  distance  or  size  of  objects  are  guided,  in  each  case, 
by  the  light  of  nature.  It  is  their  business  to  place  on 

181 


KYOTO 

their  silk  a  reduction  of  a  scene,  without  depriving  it  of 
naturalism,  and  not  to  make  it  suggest  the  idea  of  brush 
and  colour.  And  herein  lies  the  truth  of  the  ancient 
adage  that  in  painting  there  are  no  real  hills  nor  living 
water."  Far  different  in  type,  but  equally  valuable,  as 
showing  one  of  the  many  sources  of  inspiration  to  the 
Japanese  artists  of  the  Ashikaga  Period,  are  the  paint- 
ings in  colors  on  silk  of  the  arhat  Karika  and  Jivaka,  at- 
tributed to  Chi-shan,  of  the  Sung  Dynasty.  The  paint- 
ing of  arhat  —  the  Buddha's  "  Five  Hundred  "  or  "  Six- 
teen Disciples  " — became  popular  in  China  toward  the 
commencement  of  the  tenth  century.  In  Japan,  it  was 
not  until  the  end  of  the  Kamakura  Period,  and  more  es- 
pecially under  the  Ashikaga  Shoguns,  that  interest  in 
this  phase  of  Buddhist  art  became  pronounced.  But  we 
have  already  discussed  the  subject  when  dealing  with 
Mincho's  famous  series  of  the  "  Five  Hundred "  at 
Tofukuji  (q.  v.). 

We  are  strongly  reminded  of  the  style  of  that  famous 
T'ang  Dynasty  painter,  Wu  Tuo-tze  (Godoshi),  when 
studying  the  Ming  artist  Wu  Wei's  powerful  mono- 
chrome study  of  the  Hermit  Tekkai,  Figure  147.  Here 
is  the  same  full  brush;  the  same  strong  lines  and  heavy 
shadows  as  evinced  in  the  former  artist's  pictures  of 
Shaka,  Monju  and  Fugen,  now  preserved  in  the  temple 
Tofukuji,  Figures  106-108.  Considering  the  period  at 
which  he  lived,  and  the  great  ability  shown  in  this  master- 
ful sketch,  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  Wu  Wei 
was  honored  by  the  Emperor  with  a  position  at  Court. 
The  two  hermits,  Tekkai  and  Gamma,  were  favor- 
ite subjects  among  oriental  artists  of  all  periods,  but  few 
depicted  either  one  of  them  with  the  rugged  force  and 

182 


MY6SHINJI 

character  shown  in  this  brilliant  sketch  by  Wu  Wei.  To 
the  same  artist  is  sometimes  attributed  the  pair  of 
kakemono  called  "  Scenes  from  the  Poems  of  Chih-pi," 
one  of  .  which  —  showing  Tung-po  praising  the  moon- 
light scene  at  Chih-pi  —  is  illustrated  in  Figure  148. 
Gazing  at  this  charmingly  shimmering  moonlight  effect, 
one  cannot  wonder  at  the  tradition  that  Wu  Wei  was  as 
famous  in  the  painting  of  landscapes  as  he  was  in  that 
of  figure  designs.  And  yet,  it  is  a  far  cry  from  the 
harshly  rugged  Tekkai  to  this  idyllic  vision  of  a  sum- 
mer's night.  The  austerity  of  Sung  is  here  softened,  ef- 
feminized;  but  the  tender  charm  of  the  painting  com- 
mands attention.  Whoever  the  author,  these  scenes 
are  without  a  doubt  two  of  the  most  beautiful  kakemono 
that  have  survived  to  us  from  the  brush  of  a  Ming  artist 
of  the  fifteenth  century. 

The  Hatto  of  Myoshinji  is  a  large  square,  yet  far  from 
ungraceful  building,  connected  with  and  immediately 
fronting  the  Gyokuho-in.  It  contains  but  one  remark- 
able work  of  art,  and  that  a  giant  dragon  painted  upon  its 
ceiling  and  attributed  to  the  famous  Kano  artist,  Tannju 
Morinobu,  1602-1674.  So  realistically  is  the  monster 
depicted  that  the  giant  shafts  of  the  columns,  each  and 
all  of  hard  &eya&i-wood,  appear  to  tremble  beneath  its 
convulsive  onrush.  Truly  superb  are  the  great  sweeps 
of  glossiest  and  deepest  black,  soft  rose  pink  and  glowing 
yellow  in  which  Tannyu  has  painted  it.  It  seems,  in- 
deed, that  the  artist  would  have  us  look  through  the 
hurtling  thunder-cloud  in  which  the  monster  writhes  and 
see  the  rose  and  gold  of  the  sunset  that  shall  presently 
follow  the  passing  of  this  storm-fiend. 

Beyond  the  Hatto,  and  somewhat  resembling  it,  stands 

183 


KY6TO 

the  Butsuden.  It  contains  three  richly  gilt  wooden 
statues  of  Amida,  Monju  and  Fugen,  dating  perhaps  from 
the  seventeenth  century.  An  unusual  feature  in  Buddhist 
temples  are  the  white  lines  inlaid  in  the  floor,  and  indi- 
cating the  positions  to  be  occupied  by  the  priests. 

One  now  passes  beneath  the  giant  "  umbrella-pine  "  to 
the  Gyokuho-in,  buildings  of  typical  Zen  sect  architec- 
ture. 

The  Gyokuho-in  is  rich  in  treasure  of  historical  and  ar- 
tistic interest.  Especially  is  this  true  of  the  second  build- 
ing, which  may  well  be  styled  the  "  memorial-chapel "  of 
the  ex-Emperor  Hanazono,  1308-1318.  The  large  series  of 
fusuma,  or  sliding  screens  which  surround  its  outer  com- 
partments are  from  the  hand  of  Kano  Koi  (?)  1597-1673, 
who  has  covered  them  with  charmingly  poetic  landscape 
designs  in  ink  —  designs  executed  with  the  tenderest 
brush,  and  enriched  by  judiciously  spaced  shadowing  in 
airiest,  powdered  gold-leaf.  One  should  also  note  the 
door-panels  facing  the  dais  upon  which  reposes  the  Em- 
peror's funerary  statuette,  panels  done  in  brilliant  black 
lacquer,  and  richly  inlaid  with  intricate  floral  designs  in 
lustrous  mother-of-pearl.  These  panels  are  also  of  cer- 
tain historical  interest,  as  they  formed  part  of  the  Taiko 
Hideyoshi's  wantonly  destructive  looting  of  Korea  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  Here  too  stands  a  small  pagoda,  a 
rare  example  of  the  famous  black-patinated  shakudo  of 
the  Japanese.  The  huge  and  ungainly  octopus-shaped 
koro  that  stands  beyond  it  is  another  relic  of  Hideyoshi's 
looting  of  the  Hermit  Kingdom.  At  the  back  of  this 
chamber  is  the  shrine  or  small  mortuary-chamber  con- 
taining the  memorial-statuette  of  the  Emperor  Hanazono. 
This  marvelously  realistic  figure  is  carved  in  wood  and 

184 


MYOSHINJI 

painted.  It  represents  him  as  a  priest.  His  large  head  is 
close  shaven;  his  rather  obese  form  clad  in  voluminous 
dark  crimson  robes,  enriched  with  circular  floral  ara- 
besque designs  in  deep  blue  and  gold.  The  statue  is  one 
of  the  best  examples  of  the  many  memorial  statues  of  em- 
perors, shoguns,  regents,  saints  and  martial  heroes  that 
were  produced  in  such  quantities  under  the  Ashikaga  sho- 
gunate,  1334-1565.  To  the  left  of  the  outer  chamber,  as 
we  re-enter  it,  is  a  deep  recess,  decorated  with  a  brilliantly 
executed  Kano-designed  hoho-bird  and  kirl  in  gold  and 
colors.  Here  also,  is  preserved  a  realistic  nature  study 
by  the  Kano  artist,  Tsunenobu,  1635-1713.  The  painting 
represents  a  haughty  bantam  rooster  and  a  busy  little 
hen,  the  latter  occupied  in  scratching  an  apparently  hard 
and  unresponsive  soil,  in  the  interest  of  her  brood  of 
tiny  chicks.  Most  true  to  nature  is  the  grouping  of  this 
little  family;  most  daintily  yet  skilfully  are  the  colors  laid 
upon  the  thirsty  silk!  The  scene  is  as  true  to  life 
as  the  hand  of  man  can  paint  it,  and  that  without  the  hard 
brilliancy  and  miniature-like  finish  that  has  unaccount- 
ably made  the  cocks  and  hens  of  Jakuchu  so  famous. 

Beyond  this  building,  to  the  left,  stands  a  small  shrine, 
dating  from  the  early  seventeenth  century,  and  dedicated 
to  the  memory  of  Hideyoshi's  little  son,  drowned  when 
but  three  years  of  age.  Its  low  wooden  ceiling  is  painted 
with  tennin  or  Buddhist  angels,  and  the  tomb,  together 
with  a  memorial-statuette  of  the  little  boy,  rests  beneath 
a  fine  seventeenth  century  lacquered  table.  On  top  of  the 
table  stands  the  gilt-bronze  model  of  a  boat,  which  to- 
gether with  two  helmets,  a  gilt  cuirass,  gloves,  sword, 
lacquered  saddle  and  stirrups  belonged  formerly  to  this 
ill-fated  hope  of  the  house  of  Toyotomi.  Beyond  this 

185 


KY6TO 

building  again  we  see  the  Kaisando,  which  presents  a  rich 
but  funereal  interior,  as  floor,  walls,  columns,  ceiling  and 
altar  are  one  and  all  faced  with  black  lacquer.  Indeed, 
one  feels  that  the  dull  black  shakudo  "  Nehanzo "  or 
"  Representation  of  the  Death  of  Buddha  "  belongs  by 
rights  to  this  sepulchral  chamber,  rather  than  to  the 
near-by  Nehando,  of  which  it  is  the  sole  ornament  of  ar- 
tistic merit.  If  we  now  retrace  our  steps,  and  pass  once 
more  beneath  the  wide-spreading  branches  of  Myoshin- 
ji's  famous  pine,  we  shall  see  to  our  left  a  round  red  and 
white  building  called  the  Rinzodo,  or  "  sutra-hall  "  which 
is  said  to  contain  some  6,771  copies  of  the  Buddhist  rit- 
ual. The  great  red  and  black  lacquered  rinzo  or  revolv- 
ing book-case  is  said  to  date  from  the  sixteenth  century. 
It  is  embellished  below  with  an  encircling  band  of  figure 
designs  in  painted  wood.  These  figures  representing 
the  juniten  consist  of  naturally,  if  somewhat  exaggerat- 
edly posed  statues  that  remind  one  of  Bernini's  youthful 
art.  The  charmingly  naive  statue  of  the  Chinese  sage, 
Fu  Daishi,  reputed  inventor  of  the  rinzo,  is  seated 
within  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  building.  It  may  sim- 
ilarly be  assigned  to  the  sixteenth  century. 

Beyond  the  Rinzodo  stands  the  huge  Sammon  or  En- 
trance Gate,  a  building  that  is  said  to  date  from  the  early 
years  of  the  Tokugawa  Period  (i7th  century).  It  con- 
tains nothing  of  interest ;  the  painted  wood  statues  of  the 
Sixteen  Rakan,  preserved  in  its  upper  story,  being  mere 
caricatures. 

The  Rinkwa-in  preserves  various  memorials  of  the 
Toyotomi  Period  (i6th  century).  On  the  dimly  seen 
dais  or  altar  stand  a  number  of  memorial-statuettes  dat- 
ing from  this  epoch.  Notable  among  these  are  statues  of 

186 


MYOSHINJI 

Nankwa  Kokushi;  of  Wakizaka,  who  served  under  the 
Taiko  Hideyoshi,  and  of  Stiniguri,  the  Tai'ko's  little  son, 
who,  as  we  have  already  seen,  was  buried  near  here.  The 
large  room  in  front  of  the  dais  is  embellished  with  re- 
strained or  what  a  western  critic  might  characterize  as 
sketchy  landscape  designs  from  the  brush  of  Tohaku, 
painter  of  idealistic  and  tender  landscapes  in  the  style  of 
Sesshu.  The  designs  are  painted  on  the  gray  paper  in 
palest  sumi,  with  here  and  there  a  hint  of  powdered  gold- 
leaf.  To  many  of  the  Japanese  artists  this  use  of  pow- 
dered gold  seemed  a  necessary  adjunct  to  the  lighter 
brushwork,  as  in  the  pictures  under  discussion;  a  possi- 
ble effort  in  the  way  of  atoning  for  a  suspected  lack  of 
warmth.  Not  so  the  Chinese  masters  whose  half-seen 
crags,  tall  pines  or  pagoda  roofs,  loom  large  or  vanish  ut- 
terly into  a  gray  nothingness,  to  again  spring  into  view  in 
the  dimmed  foreground,  where  the  mists  are  broken. 
And  yet,  most  charming  is  Tohaku's  spreading  pine  with 
figures  below.  In  the  distance  the  misty  hills,  peeping 
here  and  there  through  the  water-charged  atmosphere, 
reveal  the  best  of  the  Southern  Sung  ideal. 

To  one  side  of  this  room  stands  a  splendid  black-lac- 
quer rack,  inlaid  with  richest  floral  designs  in  mother-of- 
pearl.  Before  it  rests  a  large  paper  screen,  painted  with 
falcons,  and  attributed  to  Doki  Tobun,  an  artist  of  the 
Toyotomi  Period  (1573-1602).  The  manner  of  rendering 
the  clean,  tight-feathered  lines  of  these  keen-eyed  birds 
was  a  new  departure,  and  one  evolved  by  an  artist  of  the 
Hasegawa  School.  Each  of  the  Myoshinji  buildings 
and  dependencies  possesses  excellent  works  of  art,  either 
in  painting,  woodwork,  metal  or  lacquer.  But  of  them 
all  perhaps,  the  kura  of  the  Rinkwain  is  the  most  richly 

187 


KYOTO 

stored,  and  it  was  here  that  we  saw  the  various  objects 
which  we  shall  immediately  discuss. 

First,  perhaps,  we  should  mention  Tohaku's  extraor- 
dinary monochrome  on  paper,  Figure  149,  in  which  that 
gifted  artist  has  represented  in  his  "  bold  and  rugged 
style,"  a  long-armed  monkey,  hanging  from  the  end  of  a 
willow  branch,  which  reaches  out  far  over  the  quiet  water 
of  a  marshy  pool.  The  history  of  the  painting  is  well 
known,  and  an  amusing  story  is  told  in  connection  with 
it.  It  seems  that  the  Lord  of  Kaga  dreamt  that  he 
was  attacked  by  one  of  the  monkeys  and  that  he  seized 
his  sword  and  struck  off  one  of  its  hands.  When  he 
awoke  the  next  morning  he  was  astonished  to  find  that  he 
had  hacked  off  the  arm  of  one  of  Tohaku's  monkeys.  As 
a  result  these  screens  were  always  alluded  to  as  "the 
cut-arm  monkey  screens."  Both  the  subject  and  the 
technique  remind  one  strongly  of  the  Sung  artist,  Muchi, 
whose  style  Tokaku  would  seem  to  have  thoroughly  di- 
gested. There  is  also  much  of  Sesshu  visible  in  the 
work,  and  it  is  small  cause  for  wonder  that  the  artist  who 
could  produce  such  a  master-piece  as  this  should  call  him- 
self "fifth  in  descent  from  Sesshu." 

Two  exquisite  Chinese  paintings  of  the  Ming  Dynasty 
follow,  designs  representing  the  plum  tree  in  early  and 
late  spring.  In  the  first,  the  black  boughs  bend  under 
the  weight  of  wet  and  clinging  snowflakes.  Here  and 
there  tiny  buds  lift  their  heads  toward  the  sky,  toward 
the  sun,  which  they  had  perhaps  too  soon  expected.  In 
the  second,  the  blossoms  are  represented  opened  to  the 
full,  as  though  in  the  very  act  of  praising  aloud  the  warm 
spring  sunshine  that  had  saved  them  from  the  chilling 
frosts.  The  authorship  of  the  paintings  is  unknown, 

188 


MY6SHINJI 

but  they  are  beautiful  examples  of  fifteenth  century 
art. 

Here  again  we  saw  a  pair  of  screens  by  Kaihoku 
Yusho  (1533-1615),  upon  which  Yusho  has  depicted  a 
fierce-eyed  tiger  in  tawny  yellows,  and  an  equally  ter- 
rifying dragon  in  two  shades  of  suml  against  a  back- 
ground of  full  gold-leaf.  The  influence  of  Eitoku  is 
paramount  both  in  design  and  technique. 

From  the  T6kei-in  comes  a  kakemono  on  faded 
silk,  representing  Shaka.  The  painting  is  but  a  sec- 
ond-rate example  of  Chinese  art,  and  though  at- 
tributed to  the  T'ang  Dynasty,  it  is  far  more  likely 
a  damaged  Yuan  copy.  To  Yen  Hui  of  the  Yuan 
Dynasty  (1280-1368)  is  attributed  a  Daruma  in  colors  on 
silk.  The  artist  has  depicted  that  rugged  old  Indian 
patriarch,  wrapped  in  his  orange  priestly  robe,  which  he 
clasps  tight  about  his  waist  by  an  invisible  hand.  His 
eyes  are  bright  blue,  his  chest  hairy,  his  face  deeply 
lined.  His  skin,  being  painted  in  a  deep  red,  or  ruddy 
bronze,  is  what  one  would  expect  in  a  portrait  of  Daruma, 
who  is  said  to  have  sat  for  nine  years  in  the  open  air 
with  his  face  to  a  wall  wrapped  in  profound  meditation. 

The  powerful  ink-portrait  of  the  priest  Chojo,  another 
early  example  of  Chinese  painting,  gives  an  even  greater 
impression  of  rapidity  of  execution.  The  old  priest  is 
represented  as  threading  a  needle.  His  face  is  pinched 
and  marked  by  heavy  lines.  The  very  thinness  of  it 
but  serves  to  accentuate  the  unnatural  size  of  his  huge 
ears.  Temple  tradition  would  assign  this  portrait  to  the 
hand  of  Liang  Kai,  a  painter  of  the  Sung  Dynasty.  Yet 
another  portrait  shows  an  old  priest  huddled  over  a  scroll 
It  also  is  characterized  by  a  rapid  and  deft  touch,  though 

189 


KYOTO 

the  design  is  here  composed  almost  entirely  of  light  ink 
strokes.  It  is  dated  in  the  Kakei  Era  (1387-1389).  From 
the  Main  Temple  came  a  splendid  set  of  kakemono,  repre- 
senting the  Sixteen  Disciples  of  Buddha.  These  are 
from  the  hand  of  an  unknown  artist,  working  in  the  man- 
ner of  Zengettsu.  Of  the  series,  two  are  especially  fine. 
The  first  shows  a  meditative  rakan  seated,  and  clad  in  a 
flowing  robe  of  red  and  gray.  His  head  is  framed  in  a 
pale  yellow  aureole  or  nimbus.  His  long-nailed  hands 
are  clasped  before  him.  At  his  side  stands  an  attendant 
holding  a  bowl.  The  other  painting  represents  an  aged 
and  withered  rakan,  a  most  homely  disciple,  who  is  about 
to  renew  the  incense  in  his  koro.  In  this  he  is  assisted 
by  a  page,  who  holds  towards  him  the  incense-case. 
Though  this  series  is  the  work  of  a  follower  of  Zengettsu, 
yet  we  can  at  once  appreciate  the  fidelity  with  which  the 
unknown  painter  has  followed  his  master's  style.  And 
we  were  the  more  impressed  with  the  sincerity  of  his 
effort  when  we  next  examined  Li  Lung-mien's  conception 
of  what  a  rakan  should  be.  For,  in  Li  Lung-mien's  realis- 
tic portrait,  we  have  a  swarthy-faced  old  man  seated  in  a 
large  chair,  beneath  a  spreading  pine.  He  holds  before 
him  a  lotus-flower,  upon  which  rests  a  relic.  Below,  a 
white  shishi  approaches,  carrying  a  pale  pink  botan  or 
peony  in  its  mouth.  How  different  is  the  handling  of 
this  subject  from  that  of  Zengettsu,  as  exemplified  in  the 
work  of  his  follower !  Indeed,  from  a  fervid  discussion  of 
the  difference  in  technique  seen  in  the  works  of  these  two 
masters,  sprang  two  schools  of  art  in  Japan,  one  af- 
fecting the  style  of  Li  Lung-mien  —  of  which  Mincho 
was  the  leading  spirit  —  and  the  other  that  of  Zengettsu. 
A  new  and  most  popular  phase  of  the  monochrome-ink 

190 


MYOSHINJI 

painting  of  early  Ashikaga  date,  and  one  evolved  by  the 
Zen  priests,  consisted  of  a  small  painting  —  illustrative  of 
some  poetic  charm  of  nature  or  some  witty  epigram  of 
the  day  —  sketched  in  low  down  upon  the  scroll,  the  up- 
per portion  being  reserved  for  the  verses  or  eulogies  of 
the  artist's  friends  and  admirers.  The  monochrome 
painting  called  "  Catching  a  Catfish  with  a  Gourd,"  still 
preserved  in  the  Taizo-in  of  this  foundation,  is  a  repre- 
sentative example  of  Zen  painting  in  this  style,  Figure 
156. 

To  the  Zen  priest  a  painting  was  a  thing  to  be  ad- 
mired for  itself.  It  need  not  necessarily  hang  behind  an 
altar,  as  in  the  strictly  Buddhistic  paintings  of  a  date  prior 
to  the  fifteenth  century.  Formerly,  with  the  single  ex- 
ception of  these  altar-pieces,  all  pictorial  art  had  been  ex- 
pended on  fusuma  or  folding-screens  and  scrolls ;  nothing 
was  hung  upon  the  walls.  The  Zen  priests  affected  an 
entirely  new  departure,  preferring  paintings  in  sober 
monochrome  to  those  done  in  colors  or  gold-leaf.  This 
Puritanical  simplicity  would  seem  to  have  gone  hand  in 
hand  with  the  strict  formality  of  their  "  Tea  Ceremony." 
For  these  monochrome  paintings  were  far  from  being  of  a 
strictly  religious  character,  since  landscapes,  portraits, 
birds,  flowers,  etc.,  were  painted  in  great  profusion.  One 
may  say  that  all  were  modeled  upon  the  Zen  style  of 
the  Chinese  artists,  for  the  Japanese  market  was  now 
flooded  with  the  works  of  Chinese  who  affected  the  style. 
We  can  do  no  better  than  to  quote  Prof.  Seigai  Omura 31 
as  to  the  Sinicizing  of  things  Japanese  at  this  epoch :  "  At 
first  when  monochrome  painting  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan 

si  "  History  of  Japanese  Pictorial  Art,"  Text  p.  82.  The  Shimbi  Shoin, 
Tfikyo. 

191 


KY6TO 

style  came  to  be  popular  in  the  realms  of  Zen  Buddhism, 
it  is  very  likely  that  there  were  many  pictures  imported 
from  China,  owing  to  the  naturalization  of  Chinese  Zen 
priests  and  the  return  of  Japanese  after  studying  the  Zen 
doctrines  in  China.     Considering  the  fact  that  there  are 
yet  not  a  few  articles  of  luxury  imported  at  that  time, 
which  are  either  mentioned  in  books  or  are  still  in  exist- 
ence, we  can  no  more  than  imagine  that  there  were  very 
many  pictures  imported  from  China  during  this  period, 
besides  those  which  yet  remain  to  us.     This  being  ad- 
mitted, the  pictures  by  the  156  artists  of  China,  men- 
tioned  in   Soami's   '  Kuntaikwan   Sayuchoki '   must   all 
have  actually  been  seen  by  S6-ami;  among  them  there 
were  some  whose  very  names  have  been  lost  from  the  art 
history  of   China.     Chinese  pictures  were  imported  in 
such  numbers  that  they  were  frequently  used  as  gifts. 
Especially  was  it  the  custom  that  tribute  offered  to  the 
Shogun  should  always  include  pictures;  and  these  pic- 
tures were  almost  always  those  imported  from  China,  just 
as  the  implements  used  on  such  occasions  were  all  Chi- 
nese.    Again,  the  gifts  from  the  Shogun,  those  inter- 
changed by  warriors,  Zen  priests,  and  others  on  impor- 
tant   occasions,    chiefly    consisted    of    Chinese    pictures. 
Furthermore,  that  the  criticising  and  admiring  of  pic- 
tures was  widely  in  vogue,  and  that  most  of  the  pictures 
for  such  pastimes  were   Chinese  productions,  may  be 
learned  from  the  diaries  of  Zen  priests  of  that  time.  .  .  . 
Especially  in  the  Shogun's  palace  many  important  pic- 
tures and  rare  implements  were  stored;  and  there  was 
an  official,  a  '  Curator  of  Chinese  objects,'  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  the  Chinese  articles  and  to  be 
responsible  for  their  safekeeping." 

192 


Fig.  153.  Fusuma  Painting  in  Colours  and 
Gold.  Morning  Glories,  Asters  and  Lilies. 
By  Samaku,  1558-1635. 

MyosMnji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  159.  Screen  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  By  Masanobu,  1453-1490.  Daito- 
kuji,  Kyoto. 

"Imperial  Museum's  Publications." 


Fig.  156.  Paint- 
ing in  Sumi  and 
Wash  Colours.  Sha- 
ka  During  his  Peni- 
tential Fast.  By  S6- 
ga  Jasoku  (d.  1483). 
Shinjuan,  Daitokuji, 
Kyoto. 


Fig.  157.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Landscapes  on  Fusuma. 
By  Sogo  Jasoku  (d.  1483).  For- 
merly Shinjuan,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto. 


Fig.      158.        Reception        Room. 
Shinjuan,    Daitokuji,    Kyoto. 

"Nippon    Seikwa," 


Fig.  160.  Painting  in  Sumi 
on  Silk  Landscape.  Probably 
a  Sung  Copy  of  a  T'ang  Paint- 
ing. Shinjuan,  Daitokuji,  Ky- 
6Lo. 

"Imperial  Museum's  Publi- 
cations. ' ' 


Fig.  161.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Silk.  Attributed  both  to  T'ang  and 
Sung  Artists  but  perhaps  by  Wu 
Wei  of  Ming,  circa  1475. 

Shinjuan,    Daitokuji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  162.  Fusuma  Painting  in 
Sumi  on  Paper.  By  So-ami  (15th 
Century).  Daisenin,  Daitokuji,  Ky- 
oto. 

Tajima    "Selected    Relics." 


Fig.   163.      Paintings  in  Sumi  on  Paper. 

Idealistic    Chinese    River    Valley    Scenes. 

By  S6-ami   (15th  Century),  in  Sung  Style. 

Tajima  "Selected  Relics," 


MYOSHINJI 

We  have  said  above  that  the  Zen  priests  enjoyed 
painting  for  itself  alone,  for  the  poetic  visions  it  might 
suggest;  for  the  naturalism,  the  pathos  or  wit,  which 
prompted  its  execution.  Paintings  were  at  first  hung 
upon  the  wall  wherever  a  convenient  place  presented  it- 
self. This  is  especially  true  of  the  studies  of  the 
Zenshu.  When  the  chakai  or  "meeting  of  literati 
at  a  tea-ceremony"  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  a 
special  room  (cha-seki)  in  which  they  might  perform  the 
tea-ceremony  (cha-no-yii),  a  particularly  remarkable 
kakemono  came  to  be  hung  in  an  alcove  (toko-no-ma) 
provided  for  that  purpose.  Such  a  kakemono  is  the  paint- 
ing by  Josetsu,  the  painting  illustrated  in  Figure  156,  and 
called  "  Catching  a  Catfish  with  a  Gourd." 

Until  the  coming  of  Josetsu  (isth  century)  no 
one  had  attempted  to  study  exhaustively  the  styles 
of  the  Chinese  artists  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynasty 
of  China.  Not  content  with  such  dilettante  sketches 
as  those  with  which  Ryosen  and  other  priests  were 
accustomed  to  amuse  their  leisure  moments,  Josetsu 
thoroughly  familiarized  himself  with  the  art  of  such 
Chinese  masters  as  Ma  Yuan,  Hsia  Kwei,  Muchi  and 
Yueh  Chien,  of  Southern  Sung,  and  of  Yen  Hui  of  the 
Yuan  Dynasty,  Josetsu  may  well  be  said  to  have 
founded  the  famous  Higashiyama  School  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  a  school  whose  shield  is  blazoned  with  the  names 
of  such  great  men  as  Shubun,  Sesshu,  Sotan  and  Yusei 
(Masanobu).  To  him,  indeed,  belongs  the  honor  of  hav- 
ing connected  the  ancient  and  the  modern  schools  of  art, 
and  with  him,  indeed,  the  history  of  modern  art  in  Japan 
may  be  said  to  commence.  Flourishing  about  the  period 
of  the  6-ei  Era  (1394-1428),  he  was  especially  famous  as 

193 


KY6TO 

a  painter  of  landscapes,  human  figures,  birds  and  flowers, 
all  of  which  he  executed  in  the  various  styles  of  the  Chi- 
nese masters  mentioned  above.  The  example  of  his  work 
here  illustrated  shows  him  in  a  humorous  mood.  Ac- 
cording to  the  inscription  above  it,  the  subject  was  chosen 
for  him  by  the  builder  of  the  Kinkakuji,  the  art-loving 
Shogun,  Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu  himself.  It  refers  to  a 
saying  common  at  that  time,  which  characterizes  certain 
impossible  tasks  as  being  quite  as  unfeasible  as  "  to  catch 
a  catfish  with  a  gourd." 

The  most  famous  disciple  of  Josetsu  was  Shubun,  and  a 
pupil  of  Shubun' s  was  the  artist  No-ami,  who  served  the 
Ashikaga  Shogun  Yoshimasa,  of  Ginkakuji  fame.  No- 
ami  affected  the  style  of  the  Southern  Sung  artist  of 
China,  and  especially  that  of  Muchi.  He  delighted  in 
studies  of  landscapes,  monkeys,  flowers  and  birds;  yet, 
he  excelled  especially  in  his  rendition  of  bamboos  and 
rocks.  His  brush  work  is  firm;  his  taste,  as  we  might 
expect,  tenderly  poetic.  His  ability  to  grapple  with  the 
Chinese  problems  of  perspective  without  cast  shadows 
is  well  exemplified  in  the  monochrome  screen-panels,  il- 
lustrated in  Figure  151.  Certainly,  in  this  charming 
landscape  No-ami  has  ably  succeeded  in  "  placing  upon 
his  paper  the  reduction  of  a  scene  without  depriving  it  of 
naturalization,"  if  we  may  so  paraphrase  an  early  Chi- 
nese critic.  We  are  in  the  Lake  Region  of  China.  The 
surrounding  atmospheric  envelope  suggests  a  midsum- 
mer's evening.  The  summits  of  the  softly  rounded  hills 
are  lost  in  the  silvery  mists.  Here  and  there  a  giant 
cedar  or  a  sloping  temple  roof  appears  for  a  moment,  as 
the  moisture-laden  clouds  roll  upward.  The  shimmering 
aspect  of  the  lake,  and  the  bold  handling  of  the  rocky 

194 


MY6SHINJI 

foreground,  are  rendered  with  a  skill  and  truthfulness 
worthy  of  the  greatest  of  Sung  artists. 

To  S6-ami  is  attributed  a  pair  of  monochrome  screens, 
one  of  which  is  illustrated  in  Figure  152.  Were  we  to 
judge  by  the  handling  of  the  screens  in  question,  we 
should  be  forced  to  characterize  S6-ami's  art  as  but  a 
weak  reflection  of  that  of  No-ami,  his  grandfather.  Yet 
the  conclusion  would  be  a  hasty  one.  Indeed,  we  should 
need  to  change  our  estimate  of  his  ability  when  we  came 
to  consider  his  famous  sliding-screens  at  Daitokuji,  soon 
to  be  discussed. 

In  the  Tenkyu-in  we  may  enjoy  screen-paintings  by 
one  of  the  best  of  the  decorative  artists  of  the  Kano 
School,  Kimura  Sanraku  (1558-1635).  A  protege  of  the 
Taiko  Toyotomi  Hideyoshi,  Sanraku,  was  sent  to  the 
studio  of  Kano  Eitoku.  Later  on,  Hideyoshi  commanded 
Eitoku  to  adopt  Sanraku  and  to  give  him  his  daughter  in 
marriage.  And  Sanraku  not  only  familiarized  himself 
with  the  style  of  his  adopted  father,  and  that  of  Tosa; 
but,  in  his  later  years,  he  studied  the  art  styles  of  the 
Chinese  masters  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan.  But  it  is  as  a 
Kano  artist,  as  chief  representative  after  Eitoku  of  the 
brilliant  Momoyama  School  that  he  appeals  to  us  today. 
At  times  indeed  Sanraku  would  combine  the  styles  of 
Tosa  and  Kano,  as  in  the  gold  screens  with  morning-glo- 
ries, illustrated  in  Figure  153.  Though  following  the 
general  style  of  his  master,  Eitoku,  he  to  some  extent  sur- 
passed him.  There  is  something  about  his  figure  studies 
too  which  foreshadows  the  art  of  Matahei  and  the  com- 
ing of  the  Ukiyoye  School.  Of  the  one  hundred  screens 
which  decorated  Hideyoshi's  great  palace  of  Momoyama, 
and  the  number  ran  well  up  in  the  hundreds, 


KYOTO 

more  than  half  are  said  to  have  been  painted  by  San- 
raku. 

The  fusuma  or  sliding  screens  of  the  First  Room  are 
decorated  with  some  of  those  inimitable  morning-glories, 
white  tessen,  chrysanthemums  and  lilies,  for  which 
Sanraku  is  justly  famous.  Falling  in  cascades  of  riotous 
color  or  peeping  through  bamboo  trellises,  these  naturally 
and  sympathetically  rendered  floral  designs  are  thrown 
into  strong  relief  against  backgrounds  of  full  gold-leaf. 
The  Second  Room  provides  a  sharp  contrast.  Here  San- 
raku has  depicted  a  tiger's  lair ;  with  the  chief  actor  in  the 
scene,  a  most  untigerish  tiger,  crouching  in  the  near-by 
grove.  In  the  Third  Room  he  once  again  occupied  him- 
self with  a  more  peaceful  scene.  Here  are  gorgeously 
be-plumaged  pheasants,  resting  in  the  gracefully  droop- 
ing branches  of  blossoming  cherry  trees.  Snowy  herons 
feed  below  the  gently  swaying  boughs  of  the  weeping  wil- 
low; sparrows  huddle  together  for  warmth  upon  the 
snow-covered  branches  of  budding  plum  trees,  or  per- 
haps, best  of  all,  a  glorious  maple  covered  thick  with  its 
richest  autumn  shades  of  flaming  red,  mauve  and  gold. 
Four  minor  sepia  studies  may  be  seen  in  the  small  room 
beyond,  figure  designs  and  a  glorious  pine,  the  latter 
worthy  of  the  applause  of  Ma  Yuan  himself. 

To  another  pupil  of  Kano  Eitoku  belong  the  gold 
screens,  embellished  with  exceptionally  beautiful  peonies 
in  softest  rose-pink  and  deep  malachite  green,  illustrated 
in  Figure  154.  These  admirable  floral  studies,  together 
with  the  "  plum  blossoms  "  of  the  same  set  and  embel- 
lished with  the  figures  of  the  four  Chinese  hermits,  Fig- 
ure 155,  are  from  the  brush  of  Kaihoku  Yusho  (1532- 
1615).  Yusho,  founder  of  the  so-called  Kaihoku  School, 

196 


MYOSHINJI 

studied  art  under  Kano  Eitoku.  Later  on,  he  crossed  to 
Korea,  and  there  acquainted  himself  with  the  style  of  the 
Chinese  painter,  Liang  Kai,  of  Sung.  He  affected  a  style 
of  painting  in  which  the  costumes  of  his  figures  were 
delineated  with  as  few  strokes  of  the  brush  as  possible. 
The  ensuing  absence  of  folds  caused  his  enemies  to  de- 
ride his  pictures  as  fukuro-ye  or  "bag-like  paintings." 
Liang  Kai  himself  could  have  painted  no  better  the  de- 
signs which  decorate  another  pair  of  screens  by  Yusho. 
Here  are  depicted  idealistic  portraits  of  Gamma  and  Tek- 
kai, —  the  hermits  to  whom  we  have  already  alluded, — 
and  the  representation  of  a  visit  paid  by  King  Wen  of  the 
Chow  Dynasty  to  the  sage  Tai-kun-mang.  The  colors 
are  brilliant  in  both  screens;  the  design,  especially  in 
that  depicting  the  contrast  between  the  exalted  state  and 
brilliant  retinue  of  the  weak-minded  king  and  the  pov- 
erty of  his  brilliant  subject,  mostly  happily  conceived  and 
delightfully  handled.  But  nowhere  else  may  the  char- 
acteristics of  Yusho's  style  be  better  studied  than  in  the 
pair  of  six-fold  screens  showing  "  the  four  aesthetic  ac- 
complishments." The  rich  coloring,  the  "  foldless 
robes,"  the  queer  handling  of  the  rocks  to  the  right,  and 
the  proverbial  paucity  of  the  artist's  brush-strokes  are  all 
strongly  represented. 

And  here  again  we  may  enjoy  an  ink-sketch  of  Daruma 
attributed  to  S6-ami ;  a  pair  of  gold  screens  enriched  with 
floral  designs  of  white  chrysanthemums  bending  above  a 
rushing  stream  by  Korin;  and  lastly  Sanraku's  original 
sketch  for  a  screen  now  preserved  in  the  temple  Kyo- 
midzu-dera.  In  this  last  Sanraku  has  attempted  to  draw 
a  Dutch  galleon.  On  the  deck  Japanese  noblemen  and 
Dutch  sailors  seem  to  be  watching  the  dance  of  a  geisha. 

197 


KY6TO 

The  large  hats,  baggy  trousers,  lace  sleeves  and  big  col- 
lars of  the  Hollanders  are  faithfully  rendered.  But,  poor 
Sanraku  failed  utterly  when  he  attempted  to  draw  the 
big  Dutch  shoes. 

The  Gallery,  beyond  the  Tenkyu-in,  and  connected 
with  it,  contains  many  objects  both  of  Chinese  and  Japa- 
nese provenience.  Here  are  splendid  incense  sets  in  lac- 
quer and  mother-of-pearl  inlay,  dating  from  the  seven- 
teenth century;  large  vases  of  Chinese  celadon  of 
Sung  date,  and  a  pair  of  Chinese  kakemono  showing 
cranes  feeding,  paintings  attributable  to  a  Ming  artist 
of  the  fifteenth  century.  Two  small  painted  screens, 
with  figure  designs  by  Tohaku,  and  a  round  Chi- 
nese mirror,  with  long  handle,  and  similar  to  the 
Japanese  type  —  perhaps  the  earliest  example  known 
—  are  among  the  many  objects  of  art  here  exhibited. 
We  may  pass  beyond  the  temple  walls  proper,  and 
turn  to  the  left,  to  the  Shumpo-in.  This  small 
set  of  apartments  contains  three  small  rooms  deco- 
rated with  realistic  landscape  designs  in  ink  by  Yana- 
guchi  Sekai.  Here  also  one  can  admire  a  half-length  por- 
trait of  Daruma  in  ink,  by  Gudo  6sho,  a  ruggedly  virile 
head  that  recalls  Sesshu  or  Mincho  at  their  best.  And 
here  too  hangs  a  kakemono  showing  Buddha's  disciples,  a 
somewhat  weak  though  exquisitely  colored  painting  on 
silk,  dating  from  China's  Ming  Dynasty  (isth  century). 
Remarkable  also  is  Tsunenobu's  half-length  portrait  of 
the  priest  Eika,  and  two  other  priestly  portraits  by  an  un- 
known artist,  working  in  the  style  of  Zengettsu. 

DAIT6KUJI 

Jf  possible,  one  should  visit  the  great  Zen  temple  of 

198 


DAIT6KUJI 

Daitokuji,  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  April.  For  upon 
that  day  the  descendants  of  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshu,  cel- 
ebrate a  protracted  memorial-service  in  honor  of  their  an- 
cestor, perhaps  one  of  the  greatest  chajin  and  aesthetes 
of  his  day.  The  temple  buildings  of  this  site,  still  some 
fifty  in  number,  are  for  the  most  part  of  Ashikaga  date, 
and  though  somewhat  imposing  and  set  in  the  midst  of 
cryptomeria  pines,  possess  few  objects  of  more  than 
passing  interest  artistically  within  their  dim  and  chill 
interiors. 

The  Sammon,  or  Portal,  a  two-storied  structure,  is  in 
grandiose  proportion,  and  the  Kodo  beyond  commands 
one's  attention  by  the  graceful  sweep  of  its  huge  gray- 
tiled  roof.  Upon  its  main  altar  sits  an  Amida  in  indistinct 
but  golden  splendour.  Above  his  head,  upon  the  huge 
panels  of  the  lofty  ceilings  Buddhist  angels  float  languidly 
upon  softly  ethereal  clouds  of  palest  rose-pink.  The  lat- 
ter is  from  the  hand  of  an  eminent  artist  of  the  Kano 
School  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  Hodo,  or  second  great  hall,  has  likewise  very  little 
to  offer  artistically.  Connected  with  a  Kodo  by  a  cov- 
ered way,  it  boasts  a  single  realistic  memorial-statue  of 
an  early  abbot  of  the  temple.  Here  too,  upon  the  broad 
ceiling,  a  monstrous  black  and  white  dragon  twists  and 
writhes  with  a  realism  that  would  have  delighted  Tsao 
Fuh-hing,  of  the  "  rain-producing  dragon,"  or  won  the 
praises  of  that  other  famous  Chinese  artist,  whose  dragon 
burst  from  the  silk  and  flew  with  a  roar  to  heaven. 

The  small  covered  gate  to  the  right  of  the  second  do 
is  well  worthy  of  inspection,  as  it  is  rich  with  beautiful 
openwork  carvings  by  Jingoro,  of  Nikko  fame.  It  con- 
ducts to  the  priest's  apartments.  Behind  this  stand  one 

199 


KYOTO 

of  the  treasure-houses  of  this  site,  the  Shinjuan  or  "  Tem- 
ple of  the  Emerald."  This  huge  hall,  with  its  enormous 
kitchen  that  once  fed  a  thousand  priests,  is  set  in  the 
midst  of  a  famous  garden,  called  "  The  Garden  of  Jade." 
It  also  possesses  its  special  ceremonial  chaseki  or  tea- 
room, designed  by  the  famous  chajin  and  aesthete,  Sen-no 
Rikyu  (i6th  century);  and  sliding  wall-panels,  screens, 
and  kakemono  by  many  of  the  greatest  painters  of  China 
and  Japan.  Thus,  to  the  left  of  the  main  room,  we  may 
enjoy  charming  little  ink  sketches  of  misty  landscapes  by 
the  Japanese  master  S6-ami,  one  of  the  most  tenderly 
poetic  artists  and  renowned  art-critics  of  the  Ashikaga 
Period  (isth  century).  The  main  room  itself  contains 
boldly  designed  ink-studies  of  landscapes  and  splendid 
bird-designs  by  the  fifteenth  century  artist  Jasoku,  son  of 
the  naturalized  Ming  painter,  S6ga  Shubun.  Here  also  is 
jealously  guarded  Jasoku's  famous  Shaka,  a  kakemono 
in  ink  and  slight  colors,  in  which  that  artist  has  depicted 
Buddha  as  he  appeared  during  his  penitential  fast  in  the 
wilderness,  Figure  156.  Yet  Soga  Jasoku  is  better  known 
today  for  his  superb  rendering  of  hawks  and  eagles.  No 
Japanese  artist,  of  either  ancient  or  modern  times,  has  so 
realistically  portrayed  the  clean,  alert  poise  and  hurtling 
swoop  of  these  powerful  birds  of  prey.  An  example  of 
his  rather  rough  style,  in  which  landscape  is  his  theme, 
will  be  found  illustrated  in  Figure  157.  It  shows  part  of 
the  now  vanished  series  of  screens,  which  he  painted  in 
ink  for  the  Prince-Priest  Ikkyu,  founder  of  the  Shinjuan. 
Further,  we  may  here  study  his  portraits  of  three  Zen 
priests,  magnificent  line  studies  which  Fenollosa  believed 
to  have  been  copied  from  Ganki.  His  Kwannon,  too,  a 
monochrome  sketch,  is  remarkable  for  the  tender  sym- 

200 


DAITOKUJI 

pathy  expressed  in  the  gracious  bend  of  the  beautiful 
head  and  the  pale  face,  seemingly  aglow  with  a  soft  radi- 
ance. Jasoku's  subtle  handling  of  the  diaphanous  drap- 
ery folds  that  play  about  the  slender  form  of  the  Mother- 
Goddess,  might  well  stamp  the  painting  as  his  master- 
piece in  this  genre. 

To  the  right  of  the  main  room  is  another  small  apart- 
ment, decorated  with  bold  screen  design  of  grand  old 
gnarled  pines,  thrown  into  strong  relief  against  a  back- 
ground of  gold.  A  swirling  stream,  drawn  in  majestic 
sweeps  of  vivid  blue,  provides  a  somewhat  distracting 
foreground  to  Kano  Eitoku's  series  of  screen  designs. 
Here  is  a  marked  contrast  to  the  restrained  suim-work  of 
the  cultured  aesthetes  of  Zen.  The  lavish  use  of  intense 
colors,  such  as  these, —  such  boldly  decorative  designs, — 
recalls  visions  of  the  elaborate  ceremonial,  rich  brocades, 
and  gorgeous  pomp  and  circumstance  with  which  the 
Tai'ko  Hideyoshi  so  delighted  to  surround  himself. 

In  the  simple  yet  most  refined  Reception  Room  of  the 
Shin juan,  Figure  158,  a  tiny  apartment  expressive  of  all 
that  is  best  according  to  the  strict  canons  of  the  chajin, 
one  may  further  enjoy  a  glimpse  of  Masasobu  Kano's  six- 
fold screen,  embellished  with  a  crane,  bamboos  and  dis- 
tant hills  —  a  vision  of  glossy  sumi  in  subtly  varying 
shades,  Figure  159.  As  we  stand  before  this  masterful 
painting,  a  painting  whose  every  line  and  subtle  curve 
reveals  the  influence  of  China's  classic  Hangchow  School 
of  Southern  Sung,  we  can  the  more  easily  appreciate 
whence  Motonobu  derived  much  of  the  inspiration,  much 
of  the  ability,  to  blend  all  that  was  best  in  Chinese  and 
Japanese  art,  and  so  to  establish  the  long-lived  Kano 
School. 

2OI 


KY6TO 

An  example  of  the  native  style  of  Tosa  is  represented 
by  a  quaint  picture-roll,  entitled  "  One  Hundred  Demons 
Wandering  about  at  Night."  Executed  in  soft  wash- 
colors  on  paper,  these  weird  little  demons  are  represented 
in  every  possible  disguise.  Hideous  in  face  and  figure, 
raging  about  in  all  sorts  of  contorted  attitudes,  each  one 
appears  more  horrible  than  the  last.  A  nightmare,  in- 
deed, must  have  inspired  the  subject,  a  subject  much  in 
vogue,  subsequent  to  the  Kamakura  Period,  when  this 
roll  was  painted.  Picture-rolls  such  as  these,  together 
with  what  we  may  call  religious  rolls,  that  deal  with  the 
history  of  sortie  shrine,  saint  or  abbot,  were  common  dur- 
ing the  Kamakura  Period  (1186-1333).  They  went  quite 
out  of  fashion  during  the  great  renaissance  under  the 
Ashikaga  Shoguns  of  the  fifteenth  century. 

And  here  one  may  see  certain  of  the  earliest  Chinese 
paintings  now  in  existence.  First  there  are  two  small, 
but  supremely  noble,  sumf-sketches  attributed  to  Wu 
Tao-tze,  perhaps  the  greatest  of  the  many  eminent  artists 
of  the  Middle  Kingdom.  Wu  Tao-tze  lived  and 
worked  during  the  eighth  century,  being  a  contempo- 
rary of  the  famous  T'ang  Emperor,  Huan-tsung  (713- 
755)-  We  already  have  had  occasion  to  refer  to  his 
famous  paintings  of  the  Tofukuji,  Kyoto.  Wu  Tao- 
tse's  assured,  if  mannered,  brush-strokes,  his  love  of  na- 
ture expressed  in  all  its  majesty  of  beetling  crag,  storm- 
tossed  pine,  misty  waterfall  and  roaring  torrent,  are  here 
depicted  in  the  glossiest  of  scented  sumi,  Figure  160-161. 
It  is  small  cause  for  wonder  that  his  influence  is  felt  in 
many  of  the  grandest  Buddhist  paintings  of  Mincho, 
Masanobu  and  Motonobu.  As  to  the  correctness  of  the 
attribution,  critics  differ,  some  seeing  in  the  paintings  the 

202 


DAIT6KUJI 

work  of  a  copyist  of  the  Sung  Dynasty  (i2th  century). 
These  would  perhaps  favor  our  attribution  to  the  Chinese 
artist  Wu  Wei,  who  best  reproduced  him. 

But  Daitokuji's  most  precious  Chinese  paintings  are 
the  two  superb  ink  landscapes  by  the  famous,  but  ill-fated 
Emperor,  Hui-tsung  (1101-1127).  ^n  trie  first,  a  poet  is 
seen,  seated  at  the  edge  of  a  precipitous  rock,  and  lean- 
ing his  arm  against  a  twisted  pine  tree.  He  appears  to 
be  admiring  the  rush  and  turmoil  of  the  moisture-laden 
clouds,  which,  torn  and  broken  by  a  passing  wind-storm, 
rise,  melt  away,  and  form  again  along  the  glistening  sides 
of  dark  and  broken  crags,  seen  in  the  middle-distance. 
This  picture  exemplifies  so  strongly  the  Zen  feeling  for 
nature,  that  it  must  certainly  have  served  as  an  inspira- 
tion to  many  generations  of  Zenshu,  both  Chinese  and 
Japanese.  Equally  fine  is  the  other  painting,  in  which 
the  gifted  Emperor  has  depicted  the  solitary  figure  of 
a  sage,  who  stands  gazing  into  the  roaring  waters  of  a 
mountain  torrent.  The  eager  little  stream  is  fed  by  a 
leaping  waterfall  to  the  left,  which  springs  from  a  rift  in 
the  tree-capped  hills.  A  dainty  little  monkey  crouches  in 
one  of  the  trees  immediately  overhanging  the  waterfall. 
The  technique  of  these  powerful  sketches  evinces  a 
clean  and  assured  brush-stroke,  together  with  a  sparing 
use  of  ink,  but  above  all  a  command  of  spacing  that  is 
little  short  of  marvelous. 

Under  the  humanist-Emperor,  Hui-tsung,  the  Northern 
Sung  capital  Kaifongfu  on  the  Yellow  River,  became  the 
center  for  all  that  was  great  in  art  and  literature.  Here 
came  artists  and  art-critics  from  the  farthest  confines 
of  the  Empire.  To  these  men  the  Emperor  opened  his 
famous  Academy  of  Art,  in  which  were  collected  innumer- 

203 


KYOTO 

able  paintings,  the  masterpieces  of  the  olden  days.  This 
Museum  also  served  as  an  educational  institution. 
Here,  pupils  received  instruction;  exhibitions  of  their 
work  were  had  from  time  to  time,  and  prizes  distributed. 
In  many  ways  the  "  art  academies  "  of  the  Gold  and  Silver 
Palaces  of  Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu  and  Yoshimasa,  at 
Kyoto  —  if  one  may  call  them  such  —  were  modelled  on 
this  earlier  institution  of  the  great  Sung  monarch.  But 
poor  Hui-tsung's  plans  for  a  national  art  school  were 
rudely  interrupted  by  the  disastrous  irruption  of  the  fierce 
Kin-Tartars.  In  the  year  1126  A.  D.,  these  Western 
neighbors  of  the  Chinese  broke  into  the  country,  cap- 
tured the  capital  and  made  a  prisoner  of  the  unhappy  Em- 
peror. Thereupon,  the  Chinese  surrendered  the  whole  of 
North  China  to  their  conquerors,  and  retiring  south  of 
the  Yangtze,  set  up  a  new,  and  what  eventually  proved 
to  be  a  far  more  famous  capital,  at  Hangchow.  This  lat- 
ter city,  a  veritable  oriental  Venice,  is  graphically  de- 
scribed by  the  great  Portuguese  traveller,  Marco  Polo. 

But  to  return  to  Daitokuji.  To  the  immediate  left  of 
the  Shinjuan,  and  surrounded  by  one  of  S6-ami's  charm- 
ing gardens,  stands  the  Daisen-in.  As  a  temple  devoted 
to  the  mystic  doctrines  of  Zen,  it  possesses  many  paint- 
ings in  the  rigorously  sober  style  of  those  votaries  of 
aesthetic  Buddhism,  the  Zenshu.  Thus,  the  main  room 
is  decorated  with  ink-sketches  of  landscapes  from  the 
brush  of  S6-ami,  artist  and  critic,  a  man  whose  works  are 
seldom  to  be  met  with  today.  One  of  the  most  gifted 
men  of  the  fifteenth  century,  S6-ami,  like  Gei-ami,  his  fa- 
ther, was  strongly  influenced  by  Shubun.  Like  his  father, 
too,  he  put  all  his  skill  and  knowledge  of  painting,  poetry, 
landscape  gardening,  tea-ceremony  etiquette,  incense- 

204 


DAITOKUJI 

smelling  etiquette,  etc.,  at  the  service  of  the  art-loving 
Shogun  Ashikaga  Yoshimasa  (1444-1473).  Influenced  by 
his  studies  of  the  Hangchow  painters,  Muchi  and  Yueh- 
kan,  S6-ami's  work  presents  a  striking  beauty  of  concep- 
tion, a  simplicity  and  delicacy  of  handling,  which  —  in 
his  landscapes  especially  —  lends  a  subtle  charm  and 
dreamily  poetic  atmosphere  seldom  found  in  the  more 
virile  works  of  Shiubun  or  Sesshu,  of  whose  school  —  the 
Northern  Sung  —  his  was  an  offshoot.  In  So-ami's  art 
the  lay  of  the  land  as  a  topographic  delight  appears  again 
and  again.  And  nowhere  is  his  power  to  delineate  the 
surrounding  atmospheric  envelope  more  noticeable  than 
in  his  series  of  sliding-screens  preserved  in  the  Daisen-in, 
Figure  162.  Here  the  rounded  hills  loom  up  mistily, 
through  their  soft  cloud  diadems.  We  mark  a  village  and 
temple  roofs  but  half  revealed  by  the  slowly  ascending 
clouds.  The  bending  pines,  heavy  with  the  moisture  of 
the  mountain  mists ;  the  tiny  boats  that  dot  a  shimmering 
lake,  reveal  S6-ami's  ability  to  render,  and  this  with  a 
minimum  of  effort,  the  varied  atmospheric  effects  so  fre- 
quently seen  in  the  moist  and  hilly  Lake  Region  of  China. 
The  simplicity  of  his  style  and  the  characteristic  light 
brushwork  are  best  represented  by  his  two  (of  eight) 
idealistic  scenes  in  the  Chinese  river  district  of  the  Hsiao 
and  Hsiang,  Figure  163.  The  softness  and  delicacy  of 
these  two  sketches  may  well  be  considered  models  of  the 
good  taste  and  simplicity  demanded  by  the  tenets  of  the 
Zenshu-ryu  and  the  almost  superrefined  culture  of  the 
chajin,  among  whom  S6-ami  himself  ranked  as  pastmas- 
ter. 

The  Daisen-in  again  boasts  many  notable  examples  of 
Kano's  School  art  of  the  sixteenth  century.     In  a  room 

205 


KY6TO 

beyond  that  of  So-ami's  paintings,  for  instance,  the  East 
Room  that  is,  there  exists  a  remarkable  series  of  sliding- 
screens  decorated  in  ink  and  wash-color  by  Kano  Yuki- 
nobu  (1513-1575).  The  designs  represent  farm  life,  the 
work  in  the  muddy  rice-fields,  and  the  harvesting  of  the 
crops.  In  technique,  there  is  something  already  familiar 
in  Yukinobu's  treatment  of  the  subject.  So  closely  does 
his  style  resemble  that  of  Motonobu,  his  elder  brother, 
that  were  the  authorship  of  the  paintings  not  substantially 
established,  one  might  easily  have  attributed  the  screens 
to  Motonobu  himself.  Yet,  one  slight  difference  might 
be  found,  and  that  is  Yukinobu's  care  and  painstaking  re- 
gard for  detail  and  the  minutiae  of  his  craft,  a  noticeable 
feature  of  his  foregrounds  and  middle-distances.  This 
propensity  for  elaboration  is  revealed  to  some  extent  in 
the  screens  under  discussion.  But  with  this  slight  de- 
fect, Yukinobu's  art  is  well  worthy  of  a  place  beside  that 
of  his  more  famous  brother. 

Of  Motonobu's  art  the  Daisen-in  possesses  a  note- 
worthy series  of  panels,  paper  panels  decorated  with  birds 
and  plant-life  in  sumi  monochrome,  touched  here  and 
there  with  a  hint  of  wash-colors. 

Though  worthy  of  study,  these  sliding-screens  can 
hardly  be  considered  so  convincing  an  expression  of  K6- 
Hogen's  art  as  the  paintings  of  the  Reiun-in,  to  which  we 
have  already  referred  in  discussing  the  treasures  of  Myo- 
shinji  (q.  v.). 

Of  the  art-style  of  Tosa,  that  native  school,  which,  in 
late  Fujiwara  days,  ousted  the  Kose  school  from  favor, 
the  famous  portrait  of  the  Emperor  G6-Daigo  is  a  bril- 
liant example,  Figure  175.  Though  we  have  already  had 
occasion  to  refer  to  the  portraits  of  the  patriarchs  of  the 

206 


DAIT6KUJI 

Hosso  sect  of  Buddhism  painted  by  Kobo  Daishi  (774- 
834),  and  to  other  portraits  of  early  Heian  date  from  the 
brushes  of  such  skilled  amateurs  as  Kawanari  or  Hiro- 
taka,  last  great  painter  of  the  Kose  School,  still  portrait- 
painting  as  an  art  was  rarely  practiced  before  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Kamakura  Period,  1186-1333.  This  portrait 
of  the  unhappy  G6-Daigo  has  been  attributed  by  some 
to  Tosa  Yukimitsu  (mid.  i4th  century).  Certainly  it 
may  be  considered  the  work  of  one  of  the  most  prominent 
artists  of  the  native  school.  The  Emperor  is  represented 
as  seated  upon  a  brocade-covered  mat.  Before  him,  his 
long  oval  face  turned  half  in  profile,  sits  one  of  his  most 
loyal,  if  mistaken,  councilors,  the  aged  Nobufusa.  The 
extreme  dignity  of  the  Imperial  pose  is  accentuated  by 
the  firm  handling  of  the  voluminous  and  richly  brocaded 
robe-of-state  in  which  the  Emperor's  rather  full  form  is 
draped.  The  arrangement  of  the  Emperor's  robes,  in  its 
general  lines,  resembles  a  stiff  wide  bow.  There  is  noth- 
ing of  the  soft  rhythmic  grace  of  the  Chinese  manner  of 
depicting  drapery-folds.  The  noble  countenance  of  the 
Emperor  reveals  the  strength  of  character  and  loftiness 
of  expression  which  one  naturally  associates  with  that 
fearless  but  unfortunate  monarch.  The  painting,  indeed, 
may  well  rank  with  Mincho's  famous  likeness  of  Shoichi 
Kokushi,  as  one  of  the  greatest  portraits  ever  produced 
by  a  master  of  any  of  the  schools  of  Japan,  whether  an- 
cient or  modern.  Here  too  we  saw  a  splendid  Shaka, 
Monju  and  Fugen  in  Sung  style,  which  temple  tradition 
assigns  to  Kano  Masanobu  (1453-1490).  Whoever  their 
author,  the  three  paintings  are  noble  expressions  of  the 
style  of  Buddhist  art  which  came  into  vogue  during  the 
classic  period  of  Chinese  painting ;  a  period  characterized 

207 


KYOTO 

by  grandeur  and  tenderness  of  conception,  power  and 
flexibility  of  brush,  coupled  with  a  well-nigh  naive  sim- 
plicity of  style,  Figures  165-167. 

The  sliding-screens  upon  which  Ni-chokuan  has 
sketched  his  famous  eagles  and  heroes,  Figures  168-169, 
have  now  been  removed  to  the  Imperial  Museum,  Kyoto, 
where  they  may  be  seen  from  time  to  time.  These  are 
superb  monochrome  studies  of  fierce-eyed,  clean-featured 
hawks,  long  of  body  and  flat-headed,  cruel  birds  of  prey, 
gathered  beside  a  foaming  mountain  torrent  and  provid- 
ing a  sharp  contrast  to  the  timid  herons  seen  huddling 
low  amidst  the  swaying  reeds  and  marsh-flowers  to  the 
right.  Here  the  Chinese  Su  Po's  eagles  are  marvelously 
imitated. 

Ni-chokuan  Soga  (iyth  century)  has  here  well  carried 
out  the  traditions  of  that  unique  painter  of  hawks  and 
eagles,  Soga  Jasoku.  The  folding-screens  under  discus- 
sion are  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  his  most  brilliant 
achievements.  A  well-nigh  unique  example  of  tender 
Buddhist  art  is  the  great  Kwannon  illustrated  in  Figure 
170.  Temple  tradition  would  assign  this  painting  to  the 
great  Chinese  (Tang)  artist,  Wu  Tao-tze  (Godoshi)  who 
flourished  during  the  eighth  century.  Of  this  remarkable 
painting  Fenolloia  has  this  to  say : 32  "  Chinese  Buddhist 
painting  comes  down  to  us  with  the  slim  hair  line,  de- 
rived originally  from  sculpture,  filled  in  with  richer  and 
richer  coloring,  until  the  severity  of  line  becomes  almost 
overlaid  with  the  gorgeousness  of  mass.  As  the  T'ang 
Dynasty  came  in  and  incorporated  the  Tartar  style,  which 
rather  ran  to  decoration,  the  fine  synthesis  of  sculptural 

32  Fenollosa,  E.  F.  "Epochs  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art."  F.  A. 
Stokes,  New  York. 

208 


Fig.    164.     Portrait    in    Colours    of 

the    Emperor    G6-Daigo.      Attributed 

to   Tosa    Yukimitsu    (14th    Century). 

Daitokuji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.   170.     Kwannon.  Col- 
ours on  Silk.     Style  of  Yen 
Li  Pen,   but  probably  Sung. 
Daitokuji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  171.  Painting  in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Autumn  Landscape.  Style 
of  Yen  Tzu  Ping  of  Southern  Sung 
(12th  Century). 

Paitokuji,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  172.  Painting  in  Colours  on 
Silk.  A  Group  of  Arhats.  At- 
tributed to  Chou  Chang  of  Southern 
Sung  (12th  Century). 

Paitokuji,    K*-6to. 


DAITOKUJI 

line  with  pictorial  color  could  well  begin.  The  great 
T'ang  Court  painters,  who  came  before  the  culminating 
age  of  Genso  [the  Chinese  Emperor  Hsuan-tsung]  like 
Enriuhon  and  Enriutoku  doubtless  practised  this 
style.  A  type  of  it,  which  may  be  ascribed  ulti- 
mately to  Enriuhon,  is  the  great  seated  Kwannon, 
shrouded  in  rich  lace,  of  which  we  have  dozens  of 
replicas  made  during  the  T'ang  and  the  Sung  Dynas- 
ties. This  type  in  Japan  is  usually  ascribed  to  Godoshi ;  I 
believe  that  to  be  a  mistake,  quite  like  the  mistake  of 
ascribing,  say,  all  sixteenth-century  Japanese  painting  to 
Motonobu.  The  one  name  we  know  is  used  to  cover  a 
multitude  of  styles.  The  largest  and  perhaps  finest  rep- 
lica of  the  Enriuhon  type  of  Kwannon  is  the  great 
painted  kakemono  ascribed  to  Godoshi,  kept  in  Daitokuji. 
This  may  well  be  of  T'ang  workmanship  though  not  nec- 
essarily from  Enriuhon's  own  hand."  Here,  indeed,  is 
the  model  of  the  many  gracious  Kwannon,  whose  tenderly 
bent  heads  and  yearning  features  seem  to  breathe  out 
calm  and  protection  to  helpless  man  below.  Here  is  the 
tenderly  benign  goddess  worshipped  by  the  sailors  of  the 
Eastern  Sea! 

Further,  the  Daisen-in  still  possesses  many  Chinese 
originals  of  Sung  date  (i2th  century),  notably  works  by 
Yen  Tzu-ping,  Chou  Ch'ang  and  Lu  Hsin-chung.  A 
pair  of  kakemono  by  Yen  Tzu-ping  (representing 
sumi-ye  sketches  of  lake  and  mountain  scenes),  are  espe- 
cially fine  in  treatment,  Figure  171.  The  Five  Hundred 
Disciples  of  Buddha  (Rakan)  by  Chou  Ch'ang,  Figure 
172,  colored  kakemono  on  silk,  are  famous  throughout 
Japan. 

The  tree-set  Y6toku-in,  which  stands  in  the  grounds  to 

209 


KY6TO 

the  left  of  the  general  entrance,  is  similarly  of  Ashikaga 
date  (i5th  century).  It  too  formerly  possessed  works 
of  pictorial  art,  both  Chinese  and  Japanese.  But  today 
very  little  remains. 

Its  one  great  treasure  (generally  to  be  seen  in  the 
Imperial  Museum,  Kyoto)  is  the  superb  set  of  three  fig- 
ure studies  in  light  color  from  the  brush  of  Shubun's  son, 
Soga  Jasoku  (d.  1483).  These  three  kakemono,  Figures 
173-174-175,  represent  Daruma,  Rinzai,  and  Tokushan, 
famous  Indian  and  Chinese  patriarchs  of  Buddhism,  who 
lived  during  the  sixth  and  ninth  centuries.  Jasoku  has 
here  given  us  two  well-defined  contrasts  in  style.  For  he 
shows  his  equal  mastery  of  light  and  facile  brushwork, 
as  evinced  in  his  grim  and  wild-eyed  Daruma,  and  of  a 
heavier,  a  more  sharp  and  Sesshu-like  treatment  in  the 
figures  of  the  two  Chinese  patriarchs.  The  expression  of 
the  faces  of  all  three  is  one  of  unutterable  sadness  and 
longing ;  of  a  heavy-hearted  yearning  for  the  truth,  under 
which  their  gaunt  and  emaciated  frames  seem  to  trem- 
ble. The  sorrow  and  pain  which  Jasoku  has  somehow 
managed  to  impart  to  those  great  sombre  eyes  of  the 
central  figure  (Daruma)  are  well-nigh  haunting  in  the 
intensity  of  their  calm  and  abstracted  appeal.  The  set, 
to  us,  constitutes  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  figure  de- 
signs, of  its  genre,  to  be  met  with  among  the  many  ideal- 
istic religious  portraits  still  remaining  among  the  temple 
treasures  of  Japan. 

To  reach  the  Kohoan,  we  turn  left  from  the  Hodo  and 
take  a  pine-boarded  walk,  which  passes  (right)  the  tomb 
of  the  famous  chajin  Sen-no-Rikyu.  After  a  walk  of 
about  half  a  mile,  we  see  the  low  wooden  roofs  of  this 
famous  treasure-house  rising  from  a  veritable  bower  of 

210 


DAIT6KUJI 

trees  and  shrubs.  The  garden  which  surrounds  it  was 
laid  out  from  designs  drawn  up  by  another  famous  chajin 
and  aesthete,  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshu  (iyth  century). 

Of  its  many  art  treasures,  the  paintings  by  Sesshu  and 
No-ami  may  be  characterized  as  supreme  masterpieces  of 
their  genre.  Sesshu's  famous  kakemono,  in  which  he 
has  depicted  benignant  arhats,  dainty  Kwannon,  and  the 
never-to-be-forgotten  "  perfect  circle,"  the  latter  done  in 
one  clean  sweep  of  the  brush,  are  well  worthy  of  a  visit 
in  themselves.  The  charming  little  paintings  of  Kwan- 
non, three  circular  miniature  medallions,  which  instantly 
recall  visions  of  Whistler,  are  models  of  daintiness  and 
grace.  The  Kwannon  to  the  left  stands  upon  the  arched 
back  of  a  gigantic  carp ;  the  central  figure  is  represented 
as  seated  in  a  charmingly  pensive  attitude  beside  the 
foaming  waters  that  break  from  a  tumbling  cascade  at 
her  feet,  while  the  third  little  goddess  is  especially  re- 
markable for  the  grace  of  her  pose,  as  she  half  turns  to 
face  her  sister-goddess. 

These  unique  expressions  of  Sesshu's  art  are  painted 
in  the  softest  colors  imaginable,  the  supple  outlines 
sharpened  by  minute  hair-lines  in  sepia.  The  background 
is  a  cream-colored  paper  enriched  here  and  there  with 
hints  of  finely  powdered  gold-leaf.  But  one  must  needs 
inspect  Mincho's  Kwannon  to  fully  appreciate  what  the 
influence  of  the  Chinese  (Sung)  masters  meant  to  the 
Japanese  painters  of  the  fifteenth  century.  Mincho's 
rosy  Kwannon  is  the  very  personification  of  the  Goddess 
of  the  Eastern  Sea ;  that  calm  solicitous  mother  to  whom 
the  fierce-eyed  sailors  of  the  treacherous  Japanese  coast 
address  their  vows  and  prayers. 

And  No-ami,  a  follower  of  the  Chinese  School  of  Sung 

211 


KY6TO 

and  Yuan, —  the  Higashiyama  School,  founded  by 
Josetsu  and  Shubun, —  has  here  bequeathed  to  us  three  of 
his  most  delightful  monochrome  studies,  three  kakemono 
on  paper  representing  a  sorrowful  and  abstracted  Da- 
ruma,  flanked  by  two  realistic  studies  of  wild-geese  in 
flight  or  hidden  in  the  marshes.  And  here,  if  you  will, 
you  may  examine  numerous  examples  of  those  simple 
utensils  demanded  by  the  strict  canons  of  the  tea-cere- 
mony as  affected  by  the  Zen  priests  of  the  Higashiyama 
Period  (i5th  century).  Rarest  of  these  is  the  old  Ko- 
rean tea-bowl  covered  with  a  crackled,  cream-colored 
glaze  that  has  run  below  the  round  base  and  congealed  in 
thick,  luscious  drops,  the  delight  of  cognoscenti,  whether 
foreign  or  Japanese.  It  is  kept  in  a  thickly  padded  bag 
of  richly  brocaded  silk,  and  put  away  in  as  many  as  four 
boxes,  one  within  the  other.  These  treasures  one  gen- 
erally sees  in  Kobori's  simple  but  exquisitely  tasteful 
tea-room,  Figure  176. 

Somewhat  to  the  left  of  the  Kohoan  stands  the  se- 
cluded and  most  picturesque  Riuko-in.  This  small 
dependency  of  Daitokuji  similarly  boasts  a  tea-room 
designed  by  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshu  (lyth  century). 
Its  fusuma  or  sliding-screens  are  embellished  with 
splendid  sumi-ye  designs  of  ravens  perched  in  a  tree, 
which  immediately  overhangs  a  shimmering  lake.  It 
is  considered  one  of  the  masterpieces  of  Kano  Tannyu 
(i7th  century).  Charmingly  soft  and  naturalistic  studies 
in  ink,  attributed  to  the  Chinese  (Southern  Sung)  artist 
Lo-chuang,  are  the  two  kakemono  on  silk,  embellished 
with  designs  of  wild  geese  and  snow-white  herons,  one  of 
which  is  illustrated  in  Figure  177.  Here  too  is  treasured 
one  of  those  beautiful  conceptions  of  the  Mother-Goddess 

212 


DAITOKUJI 

Kwannon,  a  white-robed  figure  represented  as  seated 
upon  a  jutting  rock  overlooking  the  tumbling  waves  of 
the  sea.  It  is  ascribed  to  Chang  Yueh-hu  of  the  Yuan 
Dynasty. 

The  somewhat  hard  landscape  work  of  Ma  Yuan,  a 
court  painter  of  the  Sung  Dynasty  (i2th  century),  may 
be  seen  in  his  small  monochrome  sketch  of  a  hill-set  lake 
beneath  whose  twisted  pines  one  catches  glimpses  of 
tiny  summer-houses.  And  Muchi  too  may  be  studied 
here,  notably  in  his  small  ink-design  on  silk  of  fruits  and 
a  branch  of  chestnut,  of  which  Migeon  aptly  says,33  "  It 
is  executed  in  black  ink  intermixed  with  blue,  so  fluid,  so 
melting  on  the  surface  of  the  silk,  that  I  know  of  no 
water-color  to  compare  with  it  in  subtlety,  mystery  and 
airy  lightness  of  execution  —  a  true  work  of  genius,  for 
it  is  essentially  creative." 

The  famous  Chinese  artist  Muchi  of  the  Southern  Sung 
Period,  who  flourished  about  1190-1225,  has  left  us  two 
splendid  paintings,  still  treasured  by  the  impoverished 
priests  of  Daitokuji,  his  storks  and  bamboo  stalks,  and 
studies  of  monkeys.  Another  pair  of  kakemono  on  silk 
formerly  preserved  here, —  his  dragon  and  tiger, —  have 
recently  gone  to  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art, 
New  York.  But  Muchi's  white  Kwannon,  that  inspira- 
tion to  so  many  artists,  both  of  China  and  Japan,  still 
forms  one  of  the  greatest  treasures  of  Daitokuji.  Of  this 
sweet-faced  Madonna-like  creation,  Fenollosa  says : 3* 
"  This  for  the  first  time  in  art  realizes  the  utmost  beauty 
of  condensation  and  impression  in  pure  line  used  to  ex- 
press the  most  tender  divinity  of  womanhood."  Promi- 

33  Migeon,  G.  "In  Japan."     W.  Heinemann,  London. 
84  Fenollosa,   E.    F.     "Epochs   of   Chinese   and  Japanese   Art."     F.   A. 
Stokes,  New  York. 

213 


KY6TO 

nent  among  Chinese  figure  designs  stands  Yen  Hui 
(Ganki),  an  artist  of  the  Yuan  Dynasty  (1280-1367). 
His  rakkan,  and  especially  his  Gamma  and  Tekkai,  have 
been  more  admired  perhaps  than  any  other  of  the  many 
paintings  of  this  subject  to  be  met  with  among  the  pic- 
torial treasures  of  Japan.  The  wild  Tekkai,  represented 
as  blowing  his  "  double  "  out  of  his  mouth,  is  one  of  the 
most  powerful  figure-studies  that  has  survived  to  us  from 
the  Yuan  or  any  earlier  dynasty. 

THE  TEMPLE  NANZENJI 

Nanzenji,  unlike  the  larger  foundation  of  Daitokuji, 
stands  well  within  the  limits  of  the  present  city.  The 
following  story  is  told  regarding  the  first  dedication  of 
a  temple  upon  this  most  picturesque  spot. 

It  seems  that  the  Emperor  Kameyama  (isth  cen- 
tury) came  to  reside  in  his  palace  of  Higashiyama, 
which  occupied  the  very  spot  upon  which  Nanzenji  now 
stands.  But  a  report  spread  abroad  that  the  building 
was  haunted.  The  Emperor  thereupon  commanded  the 
Abbot  Yeison  of  Saidaiji  (Nara)  to  exorcise  the  ghosts. 
But  Yeison  failing  in  his  attempt  to  drive  them  away, 
Fumon,  an  abbot  of  Tofukuji,  was  commanded  to  take 
up  his  residence  in  the  palace,  together  with  twenty  other 
priests.  From  that  time  forth  the  spirits  ceased  their 
uproars. 

The  Emperor,  amazed  at  the  courage  and  success  of 
Fumon  the  abbot,  presented  him  with  the  palace,  and 
permitted  him  to  dedicate  a  temple  in  connection  there- 
with. This  is  now  called  Nanzenji.  With  the  death  of 
Fumon  the  posthumous  title  of  Taimin  Kokushi  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  at  the  express  command  of  the 

214 


THE  TEMPLE  NANZENJI 

Emperor.  And  today,  one  of  the  greatest  treasures  pos- 
sessed by  this  ancient  foundation,  consists  of  a  spirited 
portrait  of  Taimin  from  the  brush  of  Takuma  Eiga. 

The  great  Kondo  Hall  of  Nanzenji  was  recently  de- 
stroyed by  fire  and  re-erected,  but  its  huge  wooden 
Entrance-Portal  still  stands  among  the  many  trees  which 
make  this  site  one  of  the  most  picturesque  in  or  near 
Kyoto. 

Beyond  the  new  Kondo  stands  the  Tenjuan,  a  rambling 
cluster  of  apartments  set  in  a  charming  little  garden  of 
the  severely  artificial  Enshu  type. 

Rebuilt  under  the  great  Shogun  leyasu  (1542-1616), 
this  building  still  contains  many  famous  works  of  art. 
Especially  remarkable  are  the  sliding-screens  by  the 
three  most  eminent  artists  of  the  Kano  School,  Moto- 
nobu,  Eitoku  and  Tannyu. 

We  first  admire  Kano  Motonobu's  series,  which  con- 
sist of  Chinese  figure  designs,  birds  and  flowers  painted 
in  light  and  subdued  colours  against  a  rich  gold  ground. 
Kano  Eitoku's  more  glowing  Chinese  figures  are  at  the 
end  of  the  first  apartment,  the  two  series  serving  to 
frame  the  versatile  Tannyu's  famous  animal  sketches,  his 
tiger  in  a  bamboo-grove  and  tiger  drinking,  Figure  178, 
which  decorate  the  fusuma  of  the  central  room. 

In  studying  these  sketches  we  must  remember  that 
Tannyu  had  probably  never  seen  a  real  tiger.  His  ideas 
of  the  appearance  of  that  animal  were  gleaned  from 
studies  of  the  animal-sketches  of  certain  great  Chinese 
painters  of  the  Sung  period.  Thus  his  somewhat  nonde- 
script feline  possesses  many  of  the  characteristics  of 
Muchi's  famous  Daitokuji  tiger,  now  in  the  collection  of 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  New  York.  We  see 

215 


KY6TO 

the  same  long,  bony  body,  with  its  loose  and  shaggy 
skin,  its  flattened  head,  prominent  eyes  and  massive 
jaws.  And  where  Muchi  has  sketched  his  famous  tiger 
in  a  few  rapid  strokes  of  the  brush,  a  few  deft  lines  of 
sumi  against  the  thirsty  silk,  Tannyu  has  made  use  of 
bold  and  brilliant  colors.  Yet  the  decorative  effect  of  his 
tawny  yellows  and  vivid  malachite  greens  against  a  rich 
gold  ground,  was  all  that  one  could  desire.  Certainly 
the  encomiums  of  past  generations  of  artists  and  critics 
were  entirely  justified.  And  here,  somewhat  overpow- 
ered by  such  a  gorgeous  setting,  hung  Keishoki's  sumi 
sketch  (kakemono)  of  the  sixth  century  Indian  patriarch 
Daruma,  Figure  179.  It  is  a  wonderfully  virile  bit  of 
work,  a  model  of  suave  fluidity  in  execution,  and  one  in 
which  that  rare  artist  has  succeeded  in  preserving  the 
best  tradition  of  the  Muchi  School  of  the  Sung  Period 
of  China. 

Of  the  same  school,  through  No-ami  his  father,  is 
Gei-ami's  sketch  in  ink  of  the  goddess  Kwannon,  Figure 
1 80.  In  this  brilliant  little  painting  we  may  judge  for 
ourselves  how  well  the  Japanese  painters  of  the  fifteenth 
century  had  caught  the  spirit  of  the  Chinese  masters  of 
Sung. 

Here  again  one  may  enjoy  a  masterpiece  by  Mincho 
(1352-1431),  a  superb  Shaka,  Monju  and  Fugen  in  red 
and  black  on  a  soft  gray  (paper)  ground.  And  a  bril- 
liant example  of  Takuma  Eiga's  work  may  be  studied 
here  in  his  colored  portrait  on  silk  of  the  ghost-laying 
Fumon  (Taimon  Kokushi),  Nanzenji's  first  abbot  (d.- 
1291).  As  a  young  man  Fumon  became  a  student  of 
the  one-eyed  Shoichi  Kokushi,  whose  portrait,  by  Min- 
cho, is  today  one  of  the  grandest  paintings  of  Japan 

216 


THE   TEMPLE   NANZENJI 

(q.  v.,  Tofukuji).  Eiga's  portrait  of  Fumon,  Figure  181, 
represents  him  as  clad  in  his  voluminous  priestly  robes 
and  seated  in  a  low  chair.  His  Chinese  shoes  rest  upon 
a  stool  before  him.  Fumon  is  depicted  as  an  aged  man, 
with  heavy  features,  pronounced  eyebrows,  huge  ears 
and  broad,  downward-curving  lips.  Indeed,  his  head 
might  well  have  served  the  artist  Eiga  as  model  for  a 
series  of  rakan,  had  the  painting  of  such  supernatural 
beings  been  in  vogue  at  this  date.  Fumon  wears  a 
muddy-colored  robe  (once  orange)  embellished  with 
white  fieurettes  and  a  golden-brown  overrobe  trimmed 
with  a  wide  green  border.  Over  the  chair  hangs  a  piece 
of  red  brocade  ornamented  with  lotus  designs.  This 
rare  example  of  the  Takuma  School  of  Kamakura  days 
(i3th  century)  was  exhibited  on  the  walls  of  the 
Choso-in,  a  dependency  of  Nanzenji  situated  to  the  left 
of  the  Kondo.  Beside  it  hung  a  copy  of  that  charming 
but  sadly  discolored  ink-sketch,  the  "  black  bamboo," 
of  Chao  Meng-chien  of  Sung,  Figure  182,  now  preserved 
in  the  Kyoto  Imperial  Museum. 

A  splendid  kakemono  in  color,  showing  the  meeting 
of  two  famous  patriarchs  of  Chinese  Buddhism,  Wei-yen 
and  Liao,  bears  the  signature  of  that  rare  Sung  artist, 
Ma  Kung-hien  (i2th  century).  A  nehanso  or  repre- 
sentation of  the  Buddha's  entrance  into  Nirvana  was 
attributed  to  that  realist  of  the  Northern  Sung  period, 
Choshikyo. 

Perhaps  a  unique  work  of  art  attributed  to  this  early 
date  or  to  the  Yuan  period  at  latest,  is  a  priest's  robe 
composed  of  soft  carmine  silk  embellished  with  great 
square  panels  of  floral  designs  and  tendrils  worked  in 
cut  gold-leaf.  About  the  edge  runs  a  wide  band  of  spiral 

217 


KYOTO 

lotus  or  peony  designs  in  the  same  precious  material. 
The  floral  designs  are  exquisite  and  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  ruddy-stained  gold  and  the  luscious  amethys- 
tine tone  of  the  silk  makes  this  precious  relic  of  the 
Chinese  weaver  one  of  the  richest  examples  of  an  ori- 
ental textile  which  it  has  ever  been  our  privilege  to  see. 
At  times  one  finds  the  thinnest  of  thin  bands  of  this 
famous  brocade  used  to  frame  some  precious  painting, 
but  to  stumble  across  such  a  superb  example  as  this  com- 
plete robe  is  a  treat  indeed.  One  cannot  be  impatient 
at  the  slow  and  methodical  unrolling  and  repacking  of 
this  treasure,  for  it  is  probable  that  not  even  in  China 
herself  will  such  a  vestment  ever  be  found  again. 

Of  the  Chinese  pictorial  art  of  the  Ming  Dynasty 
(1368-1643),  Nanzenji  possesses  many  examples.  Nota- 
ble among  these  is  Chiang  Sung's  ink-sketch  of  a  lake 
with  men  in  boats  and  wild  ducks  in  flight.  The  im- 
mediate foreground,  with  great  boulders,  tender  reeds 
and  a  storm-bent  tree  overhanging  the  bank  is  very  fine 
indeed.  But  the  artist  has  failed  signally  in  his  attempt 
to  render  the  misty  hills  seen  in  the  distance. 

Far  better  is  Wan  Kuo-chen's  monochrome  sketch  of  a 
gull  asleep  beneath  the  jutting  curve  of  a  bamboo-set 
bank. 

AWATA-NO-GOTEN  —  (The   Awata   Palace) 

This  ancient  foundation  dates  from  the  end  of  the 
reign  of  the  Emperor  Seiwa,  859-876.  And  to  this  site 
when  completed,  did  Seiwa  retire,  after  relinquishing  the 
throne  in  favor  of  the  Emperor  Yozei,  877-884.  Most 
unfortunately,  in  1895  many  of  its  buildings  were  con- 
sumed by  a  fearful  conflagration,  which  destroyed  not 

218 


AWATA-N6-G6TEN 

only  the  palace  buildings  proper,  but  many  of  the 
gorgeous  furnishings  for  which  the  site  was  renowned. 
Yet,  even  today,  one  may  form  a  faint  estimate  of  the 
undoubted  beauty  of  the  original  apartments,  by  a  visit 
to  the  Shishin-den.  This  building  was  re-erected  two 
years  after  the  fire,  and  in  it  were  arranged  the  few  ar- 
tistic relics  saved  from  the  conflagration.  One  ap- 
proaches the  site  by  a  short  flight  of  stone  steps,  over 
which  giant  camphor  trees  cast  a  welcome  shade.  The 
fusuma  which  surround  the  First  Room  are  decorated  in 
colours  on  paper  with  maple  trees  bright  with  their  au- 
tumnal foliage,  and  contorted  pines  before  which  stalk 
gorgeous  pheasants  in  the  brightest  of  exotic  plumage. 
To  the  right  stands  a  glorious  red  maple,  whose  lichen- 
covered  trunk  rises  from  a  rocky  bed.  Between  the 
jagged  breaks  and  crevices  of  the  rocks,  pink  and  white 
chrysanthemums  nod  their  heavy  heads  in  dainty  clus- 
ters. Here  again  are  hilly  landscapes,  with  queer  white 
rocks,  and  stunted  pines  clinging  at  impossible  angles, 
the  whole  series  of  rich  but  subdued  designs  being 
thrown  against  a  background  of  full  gold-leaf.  These 
charming,  though  sadly  damaged  paintings  are  from  the 
brush  of  one  of  the  later  Tosa  artists,  Mitsunobu.  In 
this  room  too,  there  stands  a  large  single  panel  screen 
whose  sole  decoration  consists  of  a  brocade  pattern  com- 
posed of  chrysanthemum-rosettes  in  blue  and  opaque 
red,  massed  against  a  broken  bamboo-trellis  pattern  in 
pale  green.  This  screen,  and  other  fragments  seen  here 
and  there  about  the  apartments,  once  formed  part  of  a 
splendid  set  of  fusuma  or  sliding-screens  painted  by  that 
peer  of  decorative  artists,  Kano  Sanraku  (d.  1635).  By 
the  same  artist  perhaps  is  a  screen,  to  be  seen  in  the 

219 


KYOTO 

Second  Room,  a  single  panel  screen  embellished  with 
the  poetic  design  of  flaming  maple  leaves  floating  slowly 
away  upon  the  quiet  waters  of  a  stream.  How  readily 
does  the  mellowed  brown  of  the  paper  lend  itself  to  this 
sylvan  composition,  and  how  skillfully  has  the  artist 
scattered  his  dully  glowing  shadowings  of  powdered  gold 
along  those  lush  and  verdant  banks! 

We  must  wait  for  another  room  to  see  Kano  Eitoku  at 
his  best;  for  his  fusuma  here,  of  landscapes  and  pine 
trees,  are  sadly  battered. 

To  reach  the  third  chamber  we  pass  the  First  Gallery. 
Here  one  may  admire  a  panel  by  Gukei  representing  war- 
riors holding  a  splendid  white  horse.  Against  the  wall 
stand  two  rare  chests  in  black  lacquer,  with  the  Toyotomi 
crest  in  full  and  outline-gold  lac.  Examples  of  what  is 
known  as  Kodaiji  lacquer,  these  two  chests  date  from 
about  1573-1602. 

Beyond  stand  a  pair  of  screens  from  the  hand  of  one 
of  the  great  Kano  artists,  Yasunobu  (d.  1685),  more 
popularly  known  as  Hogen  Yeishin,  and  with  Tannyu 
and  Naonobu,  one  of  the  three  gifted  sons  of  Takanobu. 
In  these  Yasunobu  has  given  us  a  charming  winter 
scene  in  Chinese  style.  The  general  scheme  is  worked 
out  in  suml-ye  enriched  with  gold-powder,  and  the  Chi- 
nese figure  designs  are  touched  here  and  there  with 
hints  of  transparent  wash  pigments.  The  effect  is 
soft  and  poetic  in  the  extreme;  more  in  the  style  of  the 
tender  Naonobu  than  in  that  of  their  grandly  forceful, 
though  perhaps  less  romantic  elder  brother,  Tannyu. 

On  either  side  of  a  large  bronze  koro  or  incense- 
burner,  Chinese  of  the  fifteenth  century,  stand  two  exam- 
ples of  the  coral-red  lacquer  (negoro-nuri)  of  about  the 

220 


AWATA-N6-GOTEN 

Toyotomi  Period,  1573-1602.  Beyond  these  again  stand 
a  pair  of  screens  by  Kano  Tannyu,  1602-1674,  in  which 
that  prolific  artist  has  depicted  birds  seeking  shelter 
from  the  biting  winter  wind.  The  artist  has  touched  these 
deft  ink  sketches  with  light  wash-color  as  if  he  sought  to 
relieve  the  simple  black  and  white  from  all  danger  of 
coldness. 

Near  by  rests  a  small  but  ancient  bronze  bell,  Chi- 
nese (?)  workmanship  of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (8th 
century).  It  is  reputed  to  have  belonged  to  the  Abbot 
Jikaku  Daishi,  794-864.  Like  Kobo  Daishi,  the  saint  of 
Koya,  Jikaku  is  said  to  have  left  his  native  shores  for  a 
time,  in  order  to  gain  religious  instruction  in  the  great 
monasteries  of  the  T'ang  capital  Hsian,  the  modern 
Siangfu  in  Shenshi  Province. 

That  rare  and  delightful  artist,  Ganki,  is  ably  repre- 
sented here  by  brilliant  figure  designs  of  Chinese  ladies 
and  children,  two  charming  groups,  painted  upon  large 
folding  screens,  and  bright  with  the  rich  color  so  char- 
acteristic of  this  artist,  and  of  the  period  in  which  he 
lived.  For  Ganki  was  of  the  Gen  or  Yuan  School,  1280- 
1367,  a  school  that  revelled  in  glowing  color.  And  yet, 
in  spite  of  the  somewhat  harsh  brilliancy  of  tone,  now, 
happily,  somewhat  mellowed  by  age,  how  inexpressibly 
charming  are  these  dainty  lange  eleijen;  how  naturally 
are  grouped  the  romping  bands  of  half-clad  children! 
These  are  the  real  Chinese  children,  as  we  ourselves  have 
seen  them!  Chinese  children?  Nay,  the  dear  little 
cherubs  of  Bourg;  the  putti  of  Mantegna;  the  loves  of 
Albani  —  childhood  itself ! 

One  mischievous  little  chap  seems  to  be  smiling  down 
upon  a  ridiculous  Sanda  celadon  incense-burner  in  the 

221 


KY6TO 

form  of  a  thin  and  hungry-looking  monkey.  This  is  dis- 
played with  much  pride,  as  having  belonged  to  the  Em- 
peror G6-Mizuno-6,  1612-1629.  Other  minor  treasures 
are  the  walking-sticks  of  the  Empress  G6-Sakura-machi, 
1763-1770,  capped  with  doves  in  gold  lac,  and  a  black 
lacquer  flute,  which  belonged  to  the  unfortunate  Emperor 
G6-Daigo,  1319-1339. 

On  leaving  the  gallery  for  the  rooms  beyond,  we  may 
pause  to  admire  the  many  doors  painted  by  Sumiyoshi 
Gukei.  The  quaint  designs  represent  scenes  from  the 
remarkable  yearly  procession  of  the  Gion  Festival  of 
Kyoto,  a  festival  that  takes  place  at  Gion-no-Yashiro, 
upon  the  seventeenth  and  twenty-fourth  days  of  July, 
in  honor  of  one  of  the  primitive  Shinto  gods  of  Japan, 
the  impossible  Susan-no-6. 

But  Sumiyoshi  Gukei  is  seen  to  better  advantage 
in  Room  Three,  in  his  fusuma  depicting  brilliant 
malachite-green  pines  growing  beside  a  deep  blue  stream, 
and  thrown  into  strong  relief  against  a  background  of 
full  gold-leaf.  The  effect  is  startling  in  the  extreme,  and 
would  not  be  considered  for  a  moment  outside  of  Japan. 
And  here  hang  two  kakemono  by  Sumiyoshi  depicting, 
in  Tosa  style,  the  story  of  the  life  and  adventures  of 
Kenshin  Daishi  or,  as  he  is  more  popularly  known,  Shin- 
ran  Shonin,  1173-1262. 

Room  Four  is  surrounded  by  sliding-screens  decorated 
in  colors  and  gold  by  Shimada  Kazue-no-Kami.  The 
designs  depict  wild  ducks  alighting,  resting  upon  or 
rising  from  the  waters  of  a  deep  pool.  To  one  side,  a 
group  of  ducks  are  seen  swimming  about,  below  the 
overhanging  branches  of  a  splendid  matsu-pme.  Oppo- 
site is  an  unusually  deft  and  skillful  panel,  showing  a 

222 


AWATA-NO-GOTEN 

fine  affectation  of  careless  care,  a  flock  of  swallows  in 
rapid  flight. 

Room  Five  contains  what  may  be  termed  a  memorial- 
chapel,  for  here,  on  a  raised  dais,  stand  the  small 
funerary  tablets  of  Reigen  and  other  Mikados.  They 
are  ranged  on  either  side  of  a  gilt-wood  statuette  of 
Amida.  The  chamber  being  sacred  to  the  memory  of 
Imperial  ancestors,  access  to  it  is  not  readily  obtained. 
But  a  mere  hasty  glance  at  this  rarely  beautiful  figure 
will  well  repay  the  effort.  In  grace  of  pose  and  beauty 
of  expression;  in  the  extreme  delicacy  of  its  modelling, 
and  in  the  handling  of  the  softly  pleated  ramifications  of 
its  clinging  draperies,  this  small  but  exquisite  figure  may 
well  rank  high,  as  one  of  the  most  sensuously  beautiful 
statues  ever  produced  by  a  Japanese  sculptor,  in  the 
style  of  esoteric  Buddhism.  Though  far  later  in  date 
we  are  not  surprised  that  temple  tradition  would  attrib- 
ute it  to  the  artist-priest  Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.  Yet 
this  splendid  little  example  of  early  wood-carving  is  not 
the  sole  treasure  of  the  chamber.  Its  sliding-screens,  to 
left  and  right,  are  bright  with  gorgeous  figure  and 
landscape  designs,  from  the  brush  of  the  founder  of  the 
Kano  School,  Motonobu,  1476-1559.  In  these  richly  col- 
ored designs  superbly  relieved  against  a  background  of 
full  gold-leaf  we  may  note  the  deft  and  flexile  handling 
of  the  brush,  painstaking  attention  to  detail,  and  bold- 
ness of  conception  that  have  made  the  art  of  K6-H6gen 
so  widely  and  so  justly  renowned. 

In  Room  Six,  a  small  chamber,  Kano  Eitoku  has 
painted  a  series  of  charming  figure  and  landscape  de- 
signs, in  the  style  of  the  Chinese  artists  of  the  T'ang 
Dynasty.  We  say  in  the  style,  for  Eitoku,  like  Moto- 

223 


KYOTO 

nobu,  his  gifted  grandparent,  having  thoroughly  famil- 
iarized himself  with  the  works  of  the  ancient  Chinese 
masters,  had  evolved  a  style  of  painting  with  a  charac- 
ter all  its  own.  Eitoku  was  born  in  1543,  and  died  in 
1590.  His  marked  ability  caused  him  to  be  early  at- 
tached to  the  court  of  Taiko  Hideyoshi,  where  he  soon 
became  the  leader  of  that  brilliant  school  of  gorgeous 
decorators  which  we  associate  with  the  name  of  the 
Taiko's  superb,  but  alas,  vanished  "  palace-of-pleasure," 
the  Momoyama  at  Fushimi. 

Room  Seven  is  again  taboo.  Yet  we  may  admire  Kano 
Juseki's  fusuma  embellished  with  a  quaint  salmon-scale 
design,  and  floral  sprays  in  soft  colors  relieved  against  a 
gold  ground.  This  little  chamber  was  a  favorite  retreat 
for  the  Emperor  Reigen  (iyth  century),  and  here  is  rev- 
erently preserved  a  square  mat  upon  which  he  was  ac- 
customed to  sit. 

Room  Eight  is  a  gorgeous  little  chamber,  possessing 
fusuma  by  several  artists  of  the  Kano  School.  Here  are 
gay  boating  scenes  in  brilliant  colors  and  gold  by  Tosun, 
and  a  good  example  of  Tannyu's  art,  a  large  tokonoma 
decorated  in  colors  on  a  gold  ground  with  a  gnarled  and 
stunted  pine  tree  and  dashing  water-fall.  Upon  the  deep 
blue  waters  of  a  pool,  somewhat  removed  from  the  surg- 
ing waters  of  this  foaming  cascade,  a  charmingly  realistic 
group  of  ducks  are  preening  themselves,  hunting  food  or 
resting  motionless,  as  if  dozing. 

Tannyu  Morinobu  was  the  eldest  of  the  three  gifted 
children  born  to  Eitoku's  son  Takanobu,  himself  an  ar- 
tist of  no  mean  ability.  And  as  the  genius  of  Motonobu 
lapsed  a  generation  to  blaze  once  more  in  the  mind  of 
his  grandson  Eitoku,  so  in  the  brain  of  Tannyu,  and  not 

224 


! 


Tigs.  173-175. 
Buddhist  Saints 
Jasoku  (d.  1483). 


, 

I    I      YsK 

™  m1 

///  1         rfcv- 


I  I  •""       J 

Idealistic    Portraits    in    Sumi    and    Wash    Colours    of    the 
Kinzai,     Daruma      (centre),     and     Tokushan.     By     Soga 

" 


"Kyoto  Imperial  Museum  Publications. 


Fig.   176.     Tea    Room    Designed    by   Kobori    Enshu,    1577-1646.     Kohoan, 
Paitokuii,  Kyoto, 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.  178.  Paintings  in  Colours  and  Gold 
on  Fusuma.  Tiger  in  the  Bamboo  Grove. 
By  Kano  Tannyu,  1602-1674.  Nanzenji, 
Kyoto.  Tajima  "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  179.  Idealistic 
Portrait  in  Sumi  of 
Duruma,  the  Indian 
Patriarch.  By  Keishoki 
(Late  15th  Century). 
Nanzenji,  Kyoto. 

"Imperial     Museum's 


Fig.   180.  Kwan- 

non.      .  Sumi  Sketch 

by       Gei-ami  .  (15th 
Century). 

Nanzenji,  Kyoto, 


Fig.      177.        Painting   in 

Sumi  on  Paper.     Attributed 

to  the  Chinese   (Sung)  artist 

Lo  Chuang    (12th  Century). 

Ryuko-in,  Daitokuji,  Kyoto, 


AWATA-NO-GOTEN 

in  that  of  Takanobu  his  father,  was  the  gift  of  form  and 
color  revivified,  and  carried  again  to  that  high  level  of 
excellence  established  by  their  common  ancestor,  the 
great  K6-H6gen,  Motonobu. 

With  his  brothers  Naonobu  and  Yasunobu,  Tannyu 
made  himself  familiar  with  the  works  of  the  old  Chinese 
masters  of  the  T'ang,  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynasties.  And 
though  much  of  Tannyu's  marvelous  skill  in  the  handling 
of  the  brush  is  due  to  his  study  of  the  technique  of 
Motonobu,  who  indeed  preferred  the  S6-Gen 35  schools, 
Tannyu  chose  to  model  his  art  upon  that  of  the  mas- 
ters of  the  T'ang  Dynasty.  In  this  he  followed  both 
Eitoku,  his  grandfather,  and  Sanraku,  the  golden  painter, 
first  perhaps  of  those  gorgeously  unrestrained  decorative- 
artists  of  the  Momoyama  school. 

Kano  Eitoku  is  represented  here  by  two  fusuma  with 
Chinese  figure  designs  in  rich  colors  against  a  full  gold 
background.  Tannyu's  brother,  the  dreamy  Naonobu, 
1607-1651,  is  badly  exemplified  in  a  series  of  fusuma  em- 
bellished with  lifeless  quail  designs,  if  indeed  Naonobu 
ever  painted  them,  and  we  have  our  doubts. 

A  door  at  the  end  of  the  corridor  beyond  furnished  a 
delightful  study  of  a  monkey  by  Kano  Tannyu,  and  in 
the  Second  Gallery  the  same  artist  has  depicted,  upon 
golden  fusuma  a  design  representing  an  aged  beggar 
and  his  trained  monkey.  Here  also  stand  two  rare  Chi- 
nese folding-screens,  of  early  Ming  date  (i5th  century), 
decorated  in  brilliant  colors  on  silk  (now  somewhat 
blackened  by  incense-fumes)  with  designs  of  ladies  and 
noblemen  of  the  Chinese  court.  In  the  corner  stands  a 

35  Japanese  term  for  the  period  covered  by  the  Sung  and  Yuan  Dynasties, 
960-1367. 

225 


KYOTO 

beautiful  lacquer  hibachi  and  rack,  in  lustrous  black  lac- 
quer decorated  with  the  chrysanthemum  crest  in  gold. 
Both  formerly  belonged  to  the  Empress  G6-Sakura- 
machi,  1763-1770.  Door-paintings  well-nigh  destroyed 
by  age  and  neglect  are  here  shown,  and  attributed  to  the 
hand  of  Kano  Tannyu. 

Room  Nine  is  another  gorgeous  little  apartment,  with 
fusuma  embellished  with  floral  designs  and  rich  with 
clouds  of  gold-powder  and  full  gold-leaf.  The  tokonoma, 
by  Kano  Tannyu,  with  its  tastefully  executed  chrys- 
anthemum designs  in  red  and  white  against  a  background 
of  dully  gleaming  flakes  of  gold,  is  especially  charming, 
both  in  composition  and  color.  Kano  Eitoku's  six  splen- 
did fusuma  of  Chinese  figure  designs  are  well-preserved 
and  brilliant  examples  of  that  artist's  love  of  bright  color 
and  gorgeous  background.  For  these  graceful  and  richly 
draped  figures  are  depicted  in  the  full  palette  of  the  mas- 
ter, relieved  against  a  gold  ground  stained  to  a  ruddy 
richness  that  must  have  delighted  his  pupil,  Sanraku. 

In  Room  Ten  we  see  more  of  Kano  Eitoku's  (?)  art, 
Chinese  ladies  preparing  silk,  and  working  at  the  loom, 
while  four  fusuma  beyond,  from  the  hand  of  Kano  T6- 
shun  depict  one  of  those  delightful  Chinese  subjects,  the 
meeting  of  aged  litterati,  by  the  side  of  a  swiftly  run- 
ning stream. 

And  the  beauty  of  the  Awata  Palace  garden  is  pro- 
verbial. Especially  is  it  noted  for  its  gorgeous  azaleas, 
seen  at  their  best  during  the  last  few  days  of  April. 
Equally  enthusiastic  are  the  praises  expended  upon  its 
huge  peonies,  which  usually  make  their  appearance  about 
the  first  week  in  May.  One  half  of  this  delightful  garden 
was  laid  out  from  the  designs  of  S6-ami,  painter,  land- 

226 


AWATA-N6-GOTEN 

scape-gardener,  and  priest  of  the  Zen,  or  contemplative 
sect  of  Buddhism.  The  upper  half,  with  its  splendid 
view  overlooking  the  city,  was  designed  by  the  equally 
famous  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshu,  a  connoisseur,  leader  of 
chakai,  and  an  aesthetic  landscape-gardener  of  note.  As 
we  have  already  seen,  Kobori  was  attached  to  the  courts 
of  Hideyoshi  and  leyasu  (i6th  century). 

S6-ami's  garden  Figure  236,  embraces  the  little  pond 
with  its  curved  stone  bridge,  and  slender  lantern  buried  in 
crimson  azaleas.  To  reach  Kobori's  section  we  pass  along 
a  path  formed  of  large  blocks  of  stone,  and  green  with 
moss,  until  we  suddenly  come  upon  the  burning  hedge  of 
fiery  crimson,  orange  and  deep  magenta  azaleas  for  which 
the  spot  is  so  famed.  Overshadowing  a  great  stone  lan- 
tern presented  by  Hideyoshi  hangs  a  thick  wistaria  arbor, 
a  cascade  of  tumbling  white  and  purple  flowers.  One 
may  climb  up  among  the  azaleas  for  the  view  over  the 
city,  and  pass  below  the  kura  or  "  store-house  "  to  the 
Tea-kiosk.  The  fusuma  of  the  two  larger  rooms  here  are 
decorated  with  restrained  sumi-ye  landscape  designs  by 
S6-ami,  and  studies  of  wild  ducks  by  Maruyama  Okyo, 

1733-1795. 

In  the  art  of  Okyo  we  are  confronted  with  still  an- 
other art  school  sprung  from  Kano,  but  a  school  that 
became  essentially  realistic.  Though  6kyo  was  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  the  methods  and  aims  of  other 
schools,  he  had  evolved  a  style  essentially  his  own.  The 
fidelity  to  nature  in  the  lazy  action  and  indolent  grace 
of  some  of  Okyo's  superb  carp,  represented  as  swim- 
ming in  clear  and  pellucid  water,  designs  simply  indi- 
cated by  a  few  pure  curves  of  his  light  and  flexile  brush, 
are  revelations  of  delicate  pencilling.  From  this  real- 

227 


KYOTO 

istic  school  of  6kyo,  sprang  Sosen,  the  inimitable  painter 
of  monkeys,  Chikudo,  the  tiger  painter,  and  other  fa- 
mous artists  whose  names  today  are  household  words. 
With  the  Maruyama  School,  the  mannered  and  fantas- 
tic style  of  Korin  disappears ;  the  harsh  and  garish  colors 
of  Jakuchiu  pass  into  the  oblivion  which  ultimately 
awaits  them ;  the  barbaric  splendors  of  the  Momoyama 
school  are  entirely  ignored. 

KINKAKUJI    (ROKUONJI) 

Kinkakuji,  the  "  Golden-storied  Pavilion,"  represents 
one  of  the  extravagances  of  the  luxury-loving  ex-Shogun 
Yoshimitsu  Ashikaga  (d.  1408).  We  say  one,  for  dur- 
ing the  shogunate  of  that  much  maligned  old  despot,  ex- 
travagance seems  to  have  been  the  order  of  the  day,  and 
that  in  spite  of  special  laws  to  the  contrary. 

Thus  one  reads  of  his  pilgrimages  to  various  shrines 
and  temples  or  to  places  famous  for  the  natural  beauty  of 
their  surroundings,  journeys  conducted  on  the  most  lav- 
ish scale  and  at  tremendous  outlay.  The  building  and  re- 
pairing of  temples  and  palaces  at  this  time  recall  the  days 
of  Shirakaga  or  those  of  the  fanatical  Shomu.  Indeed, 
in  speaking  of  Kyoto,  as  Yoshimitsu  left  it,  a  writer  of 
the  fifteenth  century  says : S6  "  The  finest  edifices 
were  of  course  the  Imperial  Palaces.  Their  roofs  seemed 
to  pierce  the  sky  and  their  balconies  to  touch  the  clouds. 
A  lofty  hall  revealed  itself  at  every  fifth  step  and  another 
at  every  tenth.  In  the  park,  weeping  willows,  plum 
trees,  peach  trees  and  pines  were  cleverly  planted  so  as 
to  enhance  the  charm  of  the  artificial  hills.  Rocks  shaped 
like  whales,  sleeping  tigers,  dragons  or  phoenixes,  were 

s«  Quoted  ty  Captain  Brinkley,  "Japan,"  Vol.  n,  pp.  55-56. 

228 


Fig.  184.  The  Kinkakuji  or  "Golden-Ter- 
race-Pavilion." Erected  by  the  Ashikaga 
Shogun  Yoshimitsu  in  1397. 

Kokuonji,   Kyoto.      Photo  by  the   Author. 


Fig.  181.  Portrait 
in  Colours  on  Silk  of 
the  Abbot .  Taimin 
Kokushi  (Fumon). 
Attributed  to  Taku- 
ma  Eiga  (14th  Cen- 
tury). Nanzenji,  Ky- 
oto 

"Tajima    Selected 
Relics." 


Fig.  182.  Sumi  Sketch  of 
Bamboos.  By  the  Chinese 
(Sung)  artist  Chao  Meng-cliien 
(Early  13th  Century). 

Nanzenji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.    183.      The   Kinkakuji   or    "Golden- 
Terrace-Pavilion."      Erected    in    1397    by 
Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu. 
Rokuonji,    Kyoto.      Photo    by   the   Author. 


Fig.   186.      Tea    House.       Erected    from    De- 
sign   by    Kanamori    Sowa    (17th    Century). 

Rokuonji     (Kinkakuji)     Kyoto. 


Fig.  185.  Land- 
scape in  Sumi  on 
Paper.  Attributed  to 
Shubun  (15th  Cen- 
tury^ . 

Rokuonji,    Kyoto. 


I 


\ 


Fig.  187.  The  Togudo  Hall  of  Jish- 
oin  or  Ginkakuji  Retreat  of  the  Ashikaga 
Shogun  Yoshimasa  (15th  Century). 

"Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  188.  Memorial 
Statuette  in  Painted  Wood 
of  Ashikaga  Yoshimasa 
(15th  Century). 

Jishoin   (Ginkakuji), 
Kyoto. 


KINKAKtfjI 

placed  around  the  lake  where  mandarin  ducks  looked  at 
their  own  images  in  the  clear  water.  Beautiful  women 
wearing  perfumed  garments  of  exquisite  colors  played 
heavenly  music.  As  for  the  Flower  Palace  of  the  Sho- 
gun,  it  cost  six  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  gold  (about 
a  million  pounds  sterling).  The  tiles  of  its  roof  were 
like  jewels  or  precious  metals.  It  defies  description. 
In  the  Takakura  Palace  resided  the  mother  of  the  Shogun 
and  his  wife.  A  single  door  cost  as  much  as  twenty 
thousand  pieces  of  gold  (32,000  pounds).  In  the  eastern 
part  of  the  city  stood  the  Karasu-maru  Palace,  built  by 
Yoshimasa  during  his  youth.  It  was  scarcely  less  mag- 
nificent. Then  there  was  the  Fujiwara  Palace  of  San  jo, 
where  the  mother  of  the  late  Shogun  was  born.  All  the 
resources  of  human  intellect  had  been  employed  to  adorn 
it.  At  Hino  and  Hirohashi  were  mansions  out  of  which 
the  mother  of  the  present  Shogun  came.  They  were  full 
of  jewels  and  precious  objects.  Even  men  that  made 
medicine  and  fortune-telling  their  profession  and  petty 
officials,  like  secretaries,  had  stately  residences.  There 
were  some  two  hundred  of  such  buildings,  constructed 
entirely  of  white  pine  and  having  four-post  gates  (i.  e., 
gates  with  flank  entrances  for  persons  of  inferior  rank). 
Then  there  were  a  hundred  provincial  nobles,  great  and 
small,  each  of  whom  had  a  stately  residence,  so  that  there 
were  altogether  from  6000  to  7000  houses  of  a  fine  type 
in  the  capital." 

Yoshimitsu  is  famous  as  a  great  patron  of  the  arts,  as 
a  student  and  lover  of  all  things  Chinese,  both  literary, 
aesthetic  and  historical.  And  the  Kinkakuji  represents 
the  ex-Shogun's  partiality  for  Chinese  culture,  for  in  this 
very  villa-temple,  Figure  196,  he  sought  to  reproduce 

229 


KY6TO 

one  of  those  lake-set  villas  of  the  ancient  Chinese  Em- 
perors, such  a  palace  as  that  of  the  great  Sung  Emperor 
Hui-tsung,  which  stood  among  giant  pines  and  other 
conifers  immediately  above  beautiful  island-dotted  Lake 
Seiko,  a  body  of  water  famous  alike  in  Chinese  art  and 
literature. 

Our  first  impression  of  the  golden-pavilion  today  is 
often  one  of  disappointment.  This  feeling  is  due  in  part 
to  the  Yuan-like  simplicity  of  the  lines  of  its  gray- 
bleached  woodwork,  and  to  the  dilapidated  aspect  of  its 
damaged  interior.  Then  too,  the  gleaming  tiles,  imperial 
yellow  in  tone,  which  once  graced  its  sloping  roof,  have 
long  since  disappeared,  as  have  the  former  brilliant 
decorations  of  its  walls  and  ceilings.  Yet,  much  of  the 
charm  of  this  famous  spot  still  remains,  owing  to  the 
beauty  of  the  miniature  Seiko  Lake  beside  which  the 
villa  stands,  and  the  grandly  contorted  pines  and  va- 
riegated shrubs  which  surround  and  frame  it.  For 
Yoshimitsu's  three-storied  pavilion  is  built  well  out  upon 
the  edge  of  a  flashing  body  of  water,  above  whose  silvery 
reaches  giant  conifers  fling  wide  their  lichen-covered 
branches.  Along  its  rocky  shores  are  junsai  flowers  in 
wildest  profusion,  while  deep  in  the  shaded  nooks  and 
rocky  crevices  great  carp  await  the  clapping  of  hands  to 
rise  lazily  in  search  of  the  bread  which  visiting  Japanese 
never  fail  to  provide. 

One  of  the  best  views  of  the  pavilion  is  obtained  by 
descending  to  the  water's  edge  at  the  extreme  (left) 
boundary  of  the  grounds.  Here,  upon  a  sunny  day,  it 
appears  perfectly  mirrored  in  the  silvery  waters.  Still 
another  and  perhaps  an  even  more  picturesque  view  is 
that  from  the  far  side  of  the  lake,  where  the  mirrored 

230 


KINKAKUJI 

pavilion  is  flanked  on  the  one  side  by  gleaming  waters 
dotted  here  and  there  by  tiny  pine-clad  islets,  on  the 
other  by  the  ruddy  shaft  of  a  magnificent  pine  which, 
springing  from  the  mossy  bank,  hurls  its  nobly  curving 
trunk  far  out  above  the  flashing  water,  Figure  197. 

Within,  the  pavilion  contains  little  of  interest,  though 
three  small  gilt-wood  statues  of  Amida,  Seishi  and  Kwan- 
non  which  smilingly  welcome  one,  are  fortuitously  at- 
tributed to  the  sculptor,  IJnkei,  who  flourished  some- 
where about  the  period  extending  from  1180  to  1210  A.  D. 

Here  too  is  a  memorial  statue  of  Ashikaga  Yoshimitsu 
himself,  in  which  the  old  "  King  of  Japan"  is  represented 
with  the  shaven  head  and  wide  robes  of  the  priesthood. 
The  expression  of  the  face  is  keenly  alert,  restrained, 
vulture-like.  And  in  matters  artistic,  vulture  or  bird  of 
prey  he  was.  For  his  aesthetic  appetite  could  only  be  fed 
by  those  Chinese  paintings  and  other  works  of  art  with 
which  the  yearly  embassies  from  the  Chinese  capital  kept 
him  supplied.  Aping  the  Sung  Emperor  Hui-tsung, 
this  great  scion  of  the  house  of  Ashikaga  gathered  Chi- 
nese paintings  by  the  thousand,  until  Kinkakuji  became 
a  veritable  Art  Museum. 

Yoshimitsu  was  no  doubt  familiar  with  paintings  in 
the  Sung  style  as  conforming  to  Zen  symbolism.  Many 
of  the  Chinese  Zen  priests  invited  to  Kamakura  by  the 
Ho  jo  (q.  v.,  Kenchoji)  had  painted  in  that  style.  But 
the  study  of  this  vast  collection  of  Chinese  paintings  re- 
vealed to  Yoshimitsu  and  the  art-critics,  or  doboshu 
which  he  had  gathered  about  him,  the  full  meaning  of 
this  new  phase  of  art,  this  supremely  poetic  and  sugges- 
tive art  in  which  truth  to  nature  and  religious  symbolism 
were  happily  blended.  As  we  have  said,  this  interpreta- 

231 


KY6TO 

tion  of  the  new  art  was  due  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Zen 
or  "  meditative  sect "  of  Buddhism,  to  whom  the  con- 
templation of  nature  in  all  her  varying  moods  might 
happily  symbolize  the  trials  and  aspirations  of  the  human 
soul.  Thus,  Zen  painters  were  wont  to  portray  some 
such  theme  as  a  storm-swept  mountain  fastness,  where 
giant  crags  springing  high  into  the  electrically  charged 
air  seemed,  to  mortal  eyes  at  least,  to  be  lost  in  the 
gloom  and  terrors  of  a  tempestuous  night.  A  common 
subject  with  the  Zen  symbolist  was  the  fierce  attack  of 
some  broad-winged  eagle  upon  the  huddled  form  of  a 
frightened  heron.  Here  the  heron  typified  the  human 
soul ;  the  hurtling  bird  of  prey,  the-  many  dangers  that 
ever  threaten  to  overwhelm  it.  And  certainly  at  Kinka- 
kuji  the  followers  of  this  movement  might  find  many  a 
charming  subject.  Indeed,  the  view  from  the  third  story 
of  this  pavilion  itself  must  have  provided  innumerable 
possibilities.  It  requires  no  vivid  stretch  of  the  imagina- 
tion to  see  the  ex-Shogun,  with  No-ami  or  Mincho, 
seated  at  its  upper  balcony  and  enjoying,  as  only  a  Chi- 
nese or  Japanese  of  the  Old  School  could,  the  various 
aspects  of  this  charming  retreat  as  revealed  at  different 
times  and  seasons. 

There  is  that  tenderly  poetic  period  when  the  soft  mists 
of  spring  form  and  melt  and  form  again  among  the  pines 
that  stretch  from  the  lake's  edge  far  back  to  Kinukasa- 
yama,  scene  of  ftda's  folly.  Then  follow  the  great  full 
moons  of  summer  that  seem  to  float  upward  in  the  bluish 
haze  of  evening,  until  their  full  orbs  —  now  full  rose- 
pink,  now  brilliant  silver  —  tremble  in  reflected  glory 
upon  the  shakudo  surface  of  the  lake  below.  Later,  they 
might  enjoy  the  changes  in  the  glorious  autumn  foliage 

232 


KINKAKtfjI 

or  welcome  the  first  great  snowflakes  that  touch  caress- 
ingly the  heavily-budded  camellias  or  fall  in  miniature 
avalanches  from  the  yielding  boughs  of  Kinkakuji's  fa- 
mous pines. 

Of  Yoshimitsu's  great  collection  of  Chinese  paintings, 
and  of  the  new  art  movement  as  practiced  here  by  the 
followers  of  what  has  been  called  the  Kinkakuji  School, 
Fenollosa  has  this  to  say : 37  "  Kinkakuji,  Yoshimitsu's 
special  erection,  was  not  only  a  villa  and  a  palace  but  a 
temple,  with  specially  officiating  priests,  who  mingled 
with  lay  scholars  like  former  priests  at  Hangchow.38 
The  great  school  of  art  at  Kinkakuji,  however,  was  not 
directly  under  a  priestly  painter,  but  a  great  lay  scholar 
.  .  .  who,  in  company  with  the  Shogun  himself,  directed 
the  work  of  critics  and  students.  This  was  Noami,  who 
had  already  studied  under  Zen  priests,  in  the  earlier  age, 
and  was  best  prepared  to  criticize  the  splendid  mass  of  old 
Chinese  works,  which  were  making  of  the  Oyei  era  a  new 
Senkwa.39  What  a  wonderful  revelation  it  must  have 
been,  to  stand  with  Yoshimitsu,  Noami,  and  the  Zen 
priests,  watch  the  opening  of  the  precious  invoices,  and 
join  in  the  discussion  as  to  whether  the  unclassified  cre- 
ations of  Godoshi,  Zengettsu,  Ririumin,  Kiso,  Bayen, 
Kakei  and  Mokkei  were  to  be  called  genuine,  or  only 
Sung,  Yuan,  and  Ming  copies!  The  treasures  brought 
over  to  other  Zen  temples  also  were  submitted  to  the 
same  board  of  experts.  It  is  upon  their  decision,  handed 

37  Fenollosa,  E.  F.     "  Epochs  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art,"  Vol.  II,  pp. 
68-69. 

38  Capital  of  China  under  the  Southern  Sung  after  the  conquest  of  North 
China  by  tlie  Kin-Tartars  in  1126.     The  Kins  set  up  their  capital  near  the 
present  city  of  Peking. 

39  Making  of  the  Japanese  year-period  Oyei  (1394-1428)  a  rival  artistic- 
,ally,  of  the  Chinese  period  Senkwa  (1119-1125)  of  Northern  Sung. 

233 


KY6TO 

down  to  us  through  the  traditions  of  the  early  and  late 
Kano  schools,  that  the  world's  knowledge  of  the  greatest 
Chinese  art  will  have  ultimately  to  rest.  The  data  for 
a  substantiated  revision  of  their  view  will  never  be  forth- 
coming; for  they  had  thousands  of  examples  to  inspect 
where  we  can  know  but  a  few  tens." 

Upon  the  low  ceiling  of  the  upper  chamber  of  Yoshimit- 
su's  pavilion  one  may  still  trace  the  faded  remains  of 
Buddhist  angels,  and  floral  designs  painted  by  Masanobu, 
who  with  his  far  more  gifted  son,  Motonobu,  has  been 
called  the  founder  of  the  Kano  School.  This  decoration 
was  of  course  painted  subsequently  to  the  erection  of 
the  building  in  1397;  for  Masanobu  worked  during  the 
latter  half  of  the  fifteenth  century.  However,  some  idea 
of  the  original  glory  of  the  place  may  be  imagined  now 
that  the  Japanese  Government  has  repaired  the  room 
panels  by  renewing  the  full  gold-leaf  with  which  its  walls 
were  formerly  covered. 

The  Hondo,  which  dates  from  the  seventeenth  century, 
stands  to  the  right  of  the  entrance,  Figure  196,  right.  Its 
reception  rooms  are  surrounded  by  charming  fusuma 
paintings  by  Yoshimitsu's  "  court  painter,"  art-critic  and 
aesthete,  No-ami.  The  designs  represent  tender  land- 
scapes and  bird-studies,  ink-sketches  executed  in  the  style 
of  Southern  Sung  and  in  brushwork  imitative  of  the  great 
Chinese  artist,  Muchi.  Another  series  of  sliding-screens 
were  painted  by  Kano  Tannyu  (Morinobu)  (1602-1673), 
a  series  of  figure  studies  representing  one  of  the  most 
popular  subjects  with  both  the  Sesshu  (Unkoku)  and 
Kano  Schools  —  the  Chinese  Sages  in  the  Bamboo  Grove. 
Here  Tannyu  seems  to  be  working  in  Hsia  Kuei's  rough- 
est manner,  and  one  feels  that  the  series  may  have 

234 


KINKAKtfjI 

been  undertaken  after  Tannyu  had  completed  his  many 
transcripts,  those  of  grand  old  Chinese  masterpieces  that 
had  perished  during  one  of  Kyoto's  innumerable  fires. 

In  the  near-by  Sho-in,  there  is  preserved  a  series  of 
fusuma,  drawings  in  sepia,  from  the  hand  of  a  more 
modern  artist,  Ito  Jakuchu  (1716-1800).  The  designs 
represent  certain  of  those  studies  of  cocks  and  hens  for 
which  Jakuchu  is  today  so  famous.  To  us,  the  series 
of  ink-sketches  is  in  no  way  remarkable;  indeed,  we  fail 
to  see  what  has  prompted  the  present  cult  for  this  barn- 
yard realist.  His  chief  works,  that  set  of  thirty  large 
kakemono  now  owned  and  recently  exhibited  by  the  Im- 
perial House,  are  typical  expressions  of  his  complicated 
designs,  gaudy  color,  and  brutal  harshness. 

Eccentricity  of  design  is  carried  to  an  extreme  in  the 
folding  screens  of  Ogata  Korin  (1660-1716),  of  whose  art 
the  Sho-in  possesses  at  least  one  striking  example. 
Though  he  belonged,  strictly  speaking,  to  the  Tosa 
School,  Korin's  genius  manifested  itself  in  an  entirely 
novel  direction.  Flourishing  as  it  did  under  the  ostenta- 
tious Genroku  Period  (1688-1704),  Korin's  art  sought  to 
catch  the  eyes  of  the  luxury-loving  nobles  of  that  short 
but  ever-famous  era.  The  abnormally  mannered  and 
boldly  colored  designs  which  he  threw  alike  upon  metal, 
lacquer,  wood,  silk  and  paper,  appealed  strongly  to  the 
fickle  taste  of  the  day.  At  this  time  lavish  display  and 
magnificence  of  appointment  had  suddenly  become  the 
vogue  in  and  about  the  capital.  And  it  was  through 
these  odd  designs,  impressionistic  and  whimsical  to  a 
degree,  that  Korin  sought  to  catch  the  eye  of  the  splen- 
dour-loving bucks  of  the  day. 

What  a  change  from  these  bold,  yet  ever  pleasing 

235 


KY6TO 

screens  of  Korin,  to  So-ami's  soft  and  poetic  landscape! 
Here  the  last  and  most  tender  of  the  three  versatile 
ami's*0  has  bequeathed  to  us  one  of  his  most  beautiful 
conceptions  of  pure  landscape.  Though  painted  in  the 
severely  simple  style  he  so  often  affected  there  is  little  of 
that  influence  of  Muchi  with  which  his  art  is  commonly 
impregnated.  It  may  well  be  one  of  the  early  achieve- 
ments of  the  artist,  painted  perhaps  under  the  critical  eye 
of  Geiami,  his  father,  during  his  novitiate  at  Kinkakuji, 
and  before  he  reached  the  full  plenitude  of  his  powers 
under  Yoshimasa  at  Ginkakuji.  Here  too  is  kept  a  fa- 
mous ink  and  wash-color  sketch  by  Shubun,  Figure  185, 
a  light  and  poetic  little  kakemono  in  which  the  artist  has 
depicted  a  tiny  lake,  waterfall,  villas,  and  winding  road, 
shut  in  among  towering  crags  that  seem  to  float  in  silvery 
mists.  More  precious  still  are  Mincho's  figures  of  the 
"  Three  Founders " 41  in  which  that  master-painter  of 
Tofukuji  shows,  as  indeed  is  often  the  case  in  Mincho's 
figure-studies,  the  influence  exerted  by  his  careful  study 
of  the  art  of  that  giant  among  Chinese  painters  of  North- 
ern Sung,  Li  Lung-mien.  The  paintings  were  doubtless 
completed  here,  for  Mincho  (with  Noami)  acted  as  in- 
structor in  painting  to  the  builder  of  Kinkakuji,  Yoshi- 
mitsu  himself. 

Here  again,  somewhat  eclipsed  by  the  many  paintings 
of  the  newer  faith,  a  faded  Amida  gazed  down  upon  us 
from  its  blackened  and  age-stained  silk.  It  almost 
seemed  that  the  gold-leaf  composing  this  figure  of  the 

40  No-ami,  Gel-ami  and  S6-ami,  three  famous  artists,  art-critics  and  aesthetes 
of  the  fifteenth  century. 

41  Shaka,   founder  of  Buddhism,  b.   568  B.C.;   Confucius,  advocate  of  so- 
cialism, b.  550  B.C.;  and  Laotze,  advocate  of  individualism,  flourished  580- 
530  B.C. 


Fig.  189.  Fudo.  Colours  on 
Silk.  Attributed  to  Chisho 
Daishi  (9th  Century),  but  prob- 
ably Chinese. 

Kongobuji,   Koyasan. 


Fig  190.  Portrait  in  Colours  on 
Silk  of  the  Abbot  Gonso  (8th  Cen- 
tury). By  an  Unknown  Artist  of 
the  Ninth  (?)  Century. 

Fumon-in,     Koyasan. 
Tajima  "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  191.  Printing  in  Colours  on  Silk. 
Amida  and  Attendants  Descend  Upon  the 
Clouds  to  Welcome  the  Souls  of  the  Blessed. 
By  Eshin  So^u,  942-1017.  Hachimanko, 
Koyasan.  Tajima  "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  192.  Bishamon. 
Colours  on  Silk.  Unknown 
Artist  of  the  early  Kose 
School  Working  in  T'ang 
Style. 

K6dai-in,    Koyasan. 


Fig.  193.  Nagaraja  the  Serpent 
King.  Colours  on  Silk.  Attribut- 
ed to  the  Priest  Jochi,  Late  Fuji- 
wara  Epoch,  1072-1155. 

Kongobuji,   Koyasan. 


,  __.  •  _      .„»  .,„„:„  s 

Fig.  196.  The  Shinto  Deity  Ni- 
watsu-hime.  By  an  Unknown  Ar- 
tist of  about  the  Thirteenth-Four- 
teenth Centuries. 

Kongobuji,     Koyasan. 


Fig.  195.  Fudo.  Colours  on  Silk. 
Attributed  to  the  Priest  Gwangyo. 
Kamakura  Period  (13th  Century). 
Koyasan. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  194.  Yakushi  Trinity  and 
Demigods.  Unknown  Artist,  but 
about  Late  Fujiwara  Epoch,  1072- 
1155. 

Y6chi-in,    Koyasan. 


GINKAKtijI 

gracious  deity  was  all  that  kept  the  painting  from  crum- 
bling to  dust  before  our  very  eyes.  This  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at,  if  we  may  believe  the  priestly  at- 
tribution to  the  artist  Eshin  Sozu,  a  famous  Buddhist 
abbot  who  was  dead  and  buried  some  fifty  years  before 
William  and  Harold  fought  at  Hastings. 

We  have  spoken  of  Yoshimitsu's  attempt  to  found  a 
school  of  art  modeled  upon  that  of  Sung,  which  in  itself 
might  well  set  him  among  the  great  men  of  his  time. 
But,  further  than  that,  under  him  the  No-drama  was 
first  acted,  and  the  codification  of  the  tea-ceremony 
begun.  Even  today,  at  Kinkakuji,  the  priestly  guide 
points  out  various  spots  in  the  little  grounds  where  some 
tea-rite  was  celebrated.  And  one  should  visit  the  little 
tea-room,  Figure  186,  not  of  Yoshimitsu's  time,  to  be 
sure,42  but  built  after  the  plans  of  one  of  the  most  fa- 
mous chajin,  Kanamori  Sowa.  The  quiet  seclusion  of 
the  site  and  the  startling  simplicity  of  its  "  three-matted  " 
interior  are  characteristic  of  the  superrefined  code  of  the 
dilettante  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

GINKAKUJI 

The  ancient  Chinese  sages  have  said  that  a  poem  is 
a  painting  without  visible  shape;  a  painting  is  poetry 
put  into  form. 

To  the  extreme  northeast  of  Kyoto  lies  the  tree-em- 
bowered cluster  of  gray-roofed  buildings,  comprising  the 
Jisho-in,  Togudo  Hall,  and  Ginkakuji.  Of  these  the 
Ginkakuji  was  erected  in  the  year  1479,  by  Yoshimasa, 
eighth  and  last  of  the  really  great  Shoguns  of  the  Ashi- 
kaga  family.  Of  him  Murdock  has  this  to  say :  43  "  From 

42  Detached  tea-rooms  were  first  erected  by  Sen-no  Eikyu,  the  great  chajin 
of  Hideyoshi's  day,  16th  Century. 

43  Murdock,  James.     "A  History  of  Japan."     Vol.  I,  p.  621. 

237 


KY6TO 

first  to  last,  he  was  an  aesthete  and  a  dilettante.     From 
the  single  fact  that  art,  and  especially  pictorial  art,  was 
one  of  his  chief  interests,  and  that  he  patronized  artists 
in  a  princely  way,  he  has  been  called  a  Japanese  Medici. 
But  this  is  doing  a  serious  wrong  to  the  great  rulers  of 
Florence,  for  of  their  vigorous  and  robust  qualities,  their 
power  of  work,  their  many-sided  ability,  Yoshimasa  had 
nothing.     He  had  all  Yoshimitsu's  craze  for  pomp  and 
magnificence,  and  more, —  and  although  the  financial  po- 
sition of  the  State  was  now  as  desperate  as  it  had  been 
sound  in  Yoshimitsu's  time,  Yoshimasa  would  persist  in 
aping    his    grandfather's    extravagances.     Immediately 
after  the  war  of  6nin  (1467-1477),  he  set  to  work  to  im- 
mortalize himself  by  the  erection  of  the  Ginkakuji  as  a 
rival  or  fellow  to  the  Kinkakuji,  while  he  was  also  re- 
sponsible for  other  structures,  all  magnificent,  but  all 
unnecessary  or  worse  at  the  time.     In  his  Ginkakuji,  he 
gave  his  *  cha-no-yu  '  parties,  his  *  incense-comparing  ' 
parties,  his  *  poem-comparing  '  parties  —  refined  frivoli- 
ties, innocent  enough  as  mere  pastimes  perhaps,  but  not 
so  innocent  when  they  became  the  main  interest  of  the 
man  responsible  for  the  administration  of  a  great  Em- 
pire, which  was  proceeding  swiftly  along  the  downward 
path    to    disintegration,    if   not   actually   to    ruin.     And 
harmless  too  perhaps,  compared  with  the  drinking  bouts 
and  foul  debauchery,  in  which  His  Highness  habitually 
indulged.     In  the  midst  of  one  of  the  greatest  battles  in 
1467,  Yoshimasa  had  held  high  revel  in  his  Palace.     Like 
Nero  he  evidently  enjoyed  the  spectacle  of  *  the  earth 
being  mixed  with  fire'  in  his  lifetime." 

During    Yoshimasa's     Shogunate    the     Empire    was 
seething  with  armed  strife.     Kyoto  was  reduced  to  a 

238 


GINKAKtfjI 

mass  of  charred  timbers,  while  famine  and  taxation,  or 
more  correctly,  extortion  —  made  the  life  of  the  humble 
tiller  of  the  soil  a  veritable  hell  on  earth.  It  is  said  that 
for  a  time  at  least,  even  the  self-indulgent  Yoshimasa  felt 
the  pinch  of  poverty.  For  tradition  has  it  that  he  was 
actually  driven  to  pawn  his  armour  in  order  to  raise 
enough  money  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  accouche- 
ment of  his  Consort.  But  for  him  things  soon  took  on 
a  brighter  turn;  and  we  presently  find  him  squandering 
vast  sums  upon  temples,  shrines,  palaces  and  objects  of 
art.  Again  there  seems  to  be  little  thought  in  his  mind 
of  the  frightful  destitution,  the  horrors  and  abuses  that 
were  going  on  all  about  him.  We  read  that  in  the  year 
1461,  when  in  the  course  of  two  months  as  many  as  80,- 
ooo  people  perished  of  plague  and  famine  in  Kyoto  alone, 
Yoshimasa  continued  to  imitate  his  greatgrandfather, 
Yoshimitsu,  by  the  erection  of  gorgeous  shrines  and  pal- 
aces and  the  spending  of  fabulous  sums  upon  paintings 
and  other  works  of  art.  A  satirical  poem  from  the 
tender-hearted  Emperor,  G6-Hanazono,  caused  him  to 
give  up  his  "  incense-comparing "  parties  long  enough 
to  see  that  some  slight  doles  of  rice  were  issued  through 
the  Metropolitan  Temples;  but  this  soon  ceased  and 
nothing  further  was  attempted  to  relieve  the  fearful  dis- 
tress. 

In  matters  artistic  the  old  spirit  of  Yoshimitsu  seems 
to  have  been  revivified  in  the  breast  of  his  grandson, 
Yoshimasa.  In  a  former  chapter,  when  discussing  the 
Kinkakuji,  of  Yoshimitsu,  we  stated  that  the  Zen,  or 
meditative  Buddhists,  enjoyed  special  favor  under  the 
Shoguns  of  the  great  house  of  Ashikaga.  This  favor  was 
continued  under  Yoshimasa.  Six  great  Zen  temples 

239 


KY6TO 

sprang  up,  of  which  by  far  the  most  powerful  was  the 
Nanzenji,  Kyoto  (q.  v.).  Having  relinquished  the  Sho- 
gunate,  in  1472,  to  the  Tokyudo  Hall,  Figure  187,  came 
Yoshimasa  after  the  disasters  and  horrors  of  the  great 
succession  war  of  Onin,  when  temples,  monasteries,  and 
a  great  part  of  Kyoto  itself  went  up  in  flames.  Here  in 
1479,  he  built  the  "  Silver-terraced  Pavilion,"  which  still 
overlooks  the  charming  little  lake-set  garden,  designed 
by  S6-ami,  artist  and  aesthete.  6guri  Sotan  decorated  its 
walls,  being  helped  in  the  work  by  his  pupil,  Kano 
Masanobu.  And  here  Yoshimasa  attempted  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  his  grandfather  by  adding  to  the  already 
vast  collection  of  Chinese  paintings,  and  other  works  of 
art,  gathered  by  Yoshimitsu.  In  fact,  he  may  be  said 
to  have  rounded  out  the  collection,  since  to  the  innumer- 
able pictorial  treasures  of  T'ang,  Sung  and  Yuan,  Yoshi- 
masa added  the  best  of  the  masters  of  early  Ming. 

In  the  Tokyudo  Hall,  his  days  were  spent  in  aesthetic 
revel;  in  criticising  and  cataloguing  the  works  of  art;  in 
progresses  to  the  various  shrines,  temples  and  picturesque 
places  of  interest  throughout  his  Empire;  in  incense- 
parties,  flower-parties,  poem-parties  and  tea-parties. 
The  tea-ceremony  at  this  time  had  a  well-established 
code  of  etiquette.  It  took  place  in  a  small  room  com- 
monly designed  to  accommodate  five  people  and  fur- 
nished in  the  simplest  manner.  In  this  case  the  sim- 
plicity was  studied,  for  it  sought  to  indicate  the  bare 
chapel  of  the  Zen  monk.  Similarly,  the  painting  which 
hung  in  the  alcove  (tokonoma)  and  the  flowers  so  taste- 
fully arranged  in  some  ancient  bronze  or  copper  vase 
below  the  adjacent  chigai-dana,  suggested  the  daily  of- 
fering at  the  shrine  of  Shaka,  or  more  commonly,  of 

240 


Fig.  197.  The  Shinto 
Deity  Kariba-Myojin.  By 
an  Unknown  Artist  of 
about  the  Thirteenth- 
Fourteenth  Centuries. 

Kongobuji,   Koyasan. 


Fig.  198.  Kobo  Daishi  After  his 
Transformation  into  Buddha  Maha- 
vairocana.  Early  Kamakura  Period 
(12th-13th  Centuries). 

Zenju-in,    Koyasan. 


Fig.  199.  Screen-Painting  in  Colours  -and 
Gold  on  Paper.  Cocks  and  Hens.  By  Soga 
Chokuan  (d.  1614). 

H6ki-in,   Koyasan. 


Fig.  200.  Screen-Painting  in  Sumi  and 
Wash  Colours  on  Paper.  By  Toyeki,  Sesshu 
School  of  the  Seventeenth  Century. 

Saizen-in,   Koyasan. 


Fig.   201.        Pocket     Shrine. 
Carved.      Said     to     have     been 


Wood, 
brought 


from  China  by  Kobo  Daishi  (806  A.  D.). 
Chinese,  T'ang  or  Earlier. 

Kongobuji,  Koyasan. 


Fig.  202.  Pocket  Shrine.  Wood, 
carved.  By  Jocho  or  his  School 
(12th  Century).  Henmyo-in,  Koya- 
san. "Nippon  Seikwa." 


Fig.  203.  Statues  of  the  Godais  on 
Wood,  painted.  Attributed  to  Unkei. 
Flourished  1180-1210.  Kongosammai-in 
Koyasan.  Tajima,  "Selected  Belies." 


Fig.  204.  Kinkara. 
Wood,  painted.  Attribut- 
ed to  Unkei.  Flourished 
1180-1210.  Kongobuji, 

Koyasan. 

Tajima, 
"Selected  Relics." 


GINKAKUJI 

Daruma,  founder  of  the  Zen  sect.  Indeed,  the  very  act 
of  tea-drinking  was  borrowed  from  the  Zenshu,  who  are 
said  to  have  been  in  the  habit  of  drinking  bowls  of  tea 
in  order  that  they  might  prolong  their  arduous  nocturnal 
studies  and  meditations. 

To  partake  of  the  sacred  rite  of  tea-drinking,  one  was 
ushered  to  the  little  machiai  or  covered  portico.  The 
charming  views  of  the  host's  garden,  as  seen  from  this 
vantage  point,  were  supposed  to  dispel  all  thoughts  of 
mundane  affairs.  Indeed,  so  skillfully  arranged  were  its 
miniature  lakes,  mountains  and  waterfalls,  that  it  was  a 
hard  matter  to  realize  that  less  than  a  hundred  feet  of 
garden  shut  one  off  entirely  from  the  life  and  activity  of 
the  great  and  busy  capital.  As  the  guests  slowly  ap- 
proached the  tea-room  proper,  treading  the  moss-covered 
and  irregularly  regular  stone  steps  of  the  roji,  their 
thoughts  had  become  spiritualized ;  for  a  time  at  least  the 
trials  and  petty  troubles  of  the  outside  world  were  for- 
gotten. To  assist  in  the  impression  of  aloofness  one 
great  master-gardener  founded  his  idea  of  the  effect  to 
be  aroused  in  the  heart  of  his  guest  upon  the  typically 
Zen  lines  of  the  poem: 

"  A  cluster  of  summer  trees, 

A  bit  of  the  sea, 
A  pale  evening  moon." 

Thus  would  he  create  "  the  attitude  of  a  newly  awakened 
soul  still  lingering  amidst  shadowy  dreams  of  the  past, 
yet  bathing  in  the  sweet  unconsciousness  of  a  mellow 
spiritual  life,  and  yearning  for  the  freedom  that  lay  in  the 
expanse  beyond."  And  yet,  this  effect  must  ever  be 
achieved  by  a  happy  blending  of  the  beautiful  and  the 
natural.  The  story  of  Rikyu's  son  happily  illustrates  the 

241 


KY6TO 

point  in  question.  The  boy  had  swept,  watered  and 
weeded  the  great  chajin's  garden  and  humbly  presented 
himself  before  his  father  with  these  words :  "  Father, 
there  is  nothing  more  to  be  done.  The  steps  have  been 
washed  for  the  third  time,  the  stone  lanterns  and  the 
trees  are  well  sprinkled  with  water;  moss  and  lichens 
sparkle;  not  a  twig,  not  a  leaf,  have  I  left  upon  the 
ground." 

"  Young  fool,"  said  Rikyu,  "  that  is  not  the  way  a 
garden  path  should  be  swept."  Whereupon  Rikyu 
stepped  out  upon  the  path,  shook  a  tree  and  scattered 
over  the  gleaming  stones  a  dazzling  carpet  of  brilliant- 
hued  maple  leaves. 

The  guest,  if  a  samurai,  left  his  swords  upon  the  sword- 
rack,  and  crawled  through  a  three-foot  aperture,  which 
conducted  to  the  tea-room  proper.  Well  has  this  cham- 
ber been  named  the  Abode  of  Vacancy.  Except  for  a 
single  rare  painting,  a  jar  filled  with  some  choice  flower, 
an  oddly  formed  piece  of  Chinese  jade,  or  something 
similar,  placed  in  the  alcove,  nothing  holds  the  eye.  In- 
deed, unless  one  examines  the  dimly  lighted  chamber 
closely,  all  appears  simple  and  mean  to  a  degree.  Yet 
this  studied  simplicity  again  bespeaks  Zen  influence,  for 
the  little  thatched  hut,  with  its  frail  pillars  and  sober 
monochrome  painting,  typified  to  the  Zen  Buddhist  the 
temporary  shelter  which  our  ephemeral  bodies  afford  to 
the  soaring  spirit.  Soon  the  tea-bowl  went  the  rounds; 
a  lustrous  brown  temmoku  belike,  or  a  crackled  summer- 
bowl,  an  ancient,  cream-colored,  Korean,  such  as  that 
still  preserved  in  the  K6-H6an,  of  Daitokuji  (q.  v.). 
This  latter  bowl  has  been  used  in  countless  tea-ceremo- 
nies, covering  in  Japan  alone,  a  period  of  over  three  hun- 

242 


GINKAKtJJI 

dred  years.  The  ceremony  over,  guests  and  hosts  pro- 
ceeded to  discuss  the  spiritual,  or  artistic  tendencies  of 
the  day,  or  to  examine  critically  some  rare  work  of  art. 
As  one  famous  Japanese  critic  has  said :  "The  tea-room 
was  an  oasis  in  the  dreary  waste  of  existence,  where 
weary  travellers  could  meet  to  drink  from  the  common 
spring  of  art-appreciation.  The  ceremony  was  an  impro- 
vised drama,  whose  plot  was  woven  about  the  tea,  the 
flowers  and  the  paintings.  Not  a  color  to  disturb  the 
tone  of  the  room,  not  a  sound  to  mar  the  rhythm  of 
things ;  not  a  gesture  to  obtrude  upon  the  harmony,  not  a 
word  to  break  the  unity  of  the  surroundings,  all  move- 
ments to  be  performed  simply  and  naturally  —  such  were 
the  aims  of  the  tea-ceremony." 4*  A  few  quiet  hours 
passed  thus,  a  few  short  hours  snatched  from  the  seem- 
ingly interminable  period  of  fierce  civil  war,  plague  and 
pestilence,  must  surely  have  tempted  many  into  the  quiet 
retreat  of  the  cloister. 

And  to  Yoshimasa,  what  a  change  from  civil  riot,  court 
intrigue  and  daimyo  chicanery!  We  can  hardly  be  sur- 
prised that,  like  his  grandfather,  he  fled  from  it ;  and  shav- 
ing his  head,  donned  the  priest's  robe.  Here  today,  in 
the  person  of  his  memorial-statue,  Figure  188,  Yoshi- 
masa gazes  out  across  the  island-dotted  lake,  which  still 
flashes  in  the  heart  of  So-ami's  garden;  past  the  faded 
"  Silver  Pavilion,"  scene  of  his  many  aesthetic  revels, 
out  and  beyond,  to  the  gentle  valley  in  which  Kyoto 
sleeps.  Perhaps  we  may  read  in  his  eyes  the  ancient 
couplet : 

"I    look    beyond; 

Flowers  are  not, 
Nor  tinted  leaves. 

44  Okakura  Kakuzo.     "  The  Book  of  Tea,"  p.  43. 

243 


KYOTO 

On  the  lake's  side 
A  lonely  cottage  stands 

In  the  waning  light 
Of  an  autumn  eve." 

CHION-IN 

Beyond  Awata  Palace,  and  terraced  high  upon  the 
wooded  slopes  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  city,  stands  the 
rich  and  apparently  flourishing  Chion-in.  Founded  by 
the  Jodo  saint,  Enko  Daishi,  in  1211,  one  year  before  his 
death,  the  present  buildings  date  from  the  period  of  the 
Tokugawa  Shogun  lyemitsu,  1623-1650. 

The  giant  temple  gate  or  Sammon  is  approached  by 
an  avenue  of  camphor,  cherry  and  pine  trees,  of  which 
the  cherries  are  at  their  best  early  in  April.  The  gate, 
though  larger  than  most,  differs  in  no  essential  detail 
from  others  of  its  kind.  Yet,  high  above,  a  large  room 
in  its  second-story  contains  three  rich  but  somewhat 
weak  statues  of  Tokugawa  date  (iyth  century)  by  the 
little-known  sculptor,  Koyu.  Here  are  the  maiden  Su- 
gatta,  Shaka,  and  Zenzai  Doji,  the  latter  a  haughty  deity, 
who  gazes  with  a  disconcerting  squint  toward  a  line  of 
uneasy  and  weak-kneed  rakan  or  "  disciples  of  Shaka." 

Should  one  visit  this  temple  on  the  igth-24th  of  April, 
when  the  festival  in  memory  of  Enko  is  celebrated,  one 
will  see  the  buildings  at  their  best.  Flags  and  bannerets 
will  be  flying ;  the  wide  strips  of  colored  silks  upon  which 
are  displayed  the  Buddhist  crest,  will  be  seen  about  the 
four  sides  of  the  buildings;  the  dance-stage  facing  the 
Hondo  will  be  in  place,  and  various  quaint  bugaku- 
dances  will  be  going  on,  to  the  accompaniment  of  weird 
Buddhist  music  and  the  beating  of  the  enormous  temple- 
drums. 

244 


CHION-IN 

One  may  approach  the  Main  Temple,  the  Enko-D6,  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  by  ascending  the  steep  flights  of 
steps  immediately  behind  the  Sammon,  or  to  the  right, 
a  few  paces  beyond  it,  by  way  of  a  far  easier  path.  The 
Enkodo  is  a  large  wooden  building,  whose  chief  exterior 
charm  is  its  low  but  gracefully  curved  roof.  Within  it 
may  be  characterized  as  a  model  of  religious  grandeur, 
for  it  fairly  glows  with  burnished  gold,  black  and 
red  lacquer,  beaten  gold  altar-flowers,  and  temple  hang- 
ings. At  centre  stands  the  shumidan  or  shrine  of  the 
founder,  Enko  Daishi,  fronted  by  two  enormous  gilt- 
bronze  vases  containing  beaten  gold  lotus-flowers.  Huge 
gilt  lacquer  pillars  surround  the  dais  upon  which  the  gilt 
shrine  rests.  To  the  right  of  the  shrine  stand  the  me- 
morial tablets  of  leyasu  and  Hidetada,  first  and  second 
shoguns  of  the  house  of  Tokugawa.  The  Shuei-do 
which  stands  immediately  behind  the  Main  Temple  boasts 
little  of  interest  about  its  simple  exterior;  within,  how- 
ever, it  possesses  six  splendid  examples  of  early  sculpture. 
Here  we  may  admire  a  gilt  lacquer  Amida,  Seishi 
and  Kwannon  attributed  to  the  artist  and  sculptor-priest, 
Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.  Yet  these  three  sensuously  beauti- 
ful figures  have  little  of  the  religious  feeling  so  grandly 
exemplified  in  Eshin's  famous  triptych  of  the  Hachi- 
man-ko,  Mount  Koya.  The  sleek  and  rounded  Amida  at 
centre,  with  his  half-smiling  expression  of  vacuous 
placidity  and  content,  is  wrapt  in  a  drowsy  repose  which 
one  would  hardly  presume  to  disturb.  He  is  attributed 
to  the  famous  brothers,  Kei  Bunkai  and  Kei  Shukun,  of 
the  Nara  Epoch  (8th  century).  Somewhat  more  ab- 
stracted, with  his  air  of  quiet  introspection,  Monju  (to 
the  right)  is  habited  in  priestly  robes,  as  though  the  artist 

245 


KYOTO 

had  intended  him  to  personify  the  long  line  of  religious, 
by  whom  "  the  Vehicle  "  should  be  proclaimed. 

In  the  6-Hojo  and  K6-H6-J6  or  Goten,  as  this  double 
palace  of  the  Ashikaga  Shogun  lemitsu  is  called,  one 
may  study  certain  of  the  Kano  artists  as  nowhere  else. 
Especially  is  it  rich  in  examples  of  that  poetic  second  son 
of  Motonobu,  Kano  Naonobu  (1607-1651).  Nobumasa, 
too,  is  ably  represented  in  these  apartments. 

The  First  Room,  indeed,  possesses  the  latter's  most 
famous  work,  which  consists  of  a  set  of  fusuma  embell- 
ished with  somewhat  faded  sketches  of  chrysanthemums 
and  trellis  designs,  and,  to  the  right,  sparrows  in  flight 
—  the  celebrated  nuke-suzume  —  so  realistically  painted 
that  they  flew  right  out  of  the  screen,  leaving  but  a  bare 
outline  of  themselves  upon  it.  The  egrets  and  willows, 
and  more  especially  the  i-naori-no-sagi  or  "  egret  about 
to  take  flight,"  is  another  much-admired  work  of  this 
light-wristed  artist.  Other  superrealistic  paintings  are 
the  now  sadly  damaged  pine  trees  which  decorate  the 
wooden  doors  beyond.  These  again  were  so  true  to  na- 
ture that  in  early  spring,  when  sap  rises  anew  into  the 
trees,  they  were  said  to  exude  resin.  The  Second  Room 
is  by  Naonobu,  and  here  that  second  founder  of  the  Kano 
School,  Tannyu  Morinobu,  has  covered  the  screens  with 
sketches  in  ink  and  slight  colors  representing  feathery 
bamboos,  and  fluffy  little  paroquets,  huddled  upon  the 
budding  branches  of  stunted  plum  trees. 

Beyond  this  is  the  Imperial  Room,  so  called  because 
once  used  by  the  late  Emperor  Meiji  Tenno,  and  deco- 
rated with  charming  designs  of  figures  in  the  Chinese 
style  by  Nobumasa.  This  artist  is  even  better  repre- 
sented in  the  exquisite  designs  with  which  he  has  orna- 

246 


CHION-IN 

mented  the  fusuma  of  the  Third  and  Fourth  Rooms,  the 
latter  a  very  small  apartment.  His  soft  color  designs 
of  pheasants  and  small  birds  clustered  upon  the  droop- 
ing branches  of  blossoming  plum  trees,  and  of  aesthetic 
Chinese  sages,  sketched  in  the  richest  and  glossiest  ink 
and  touched  here  and  there  with  a  hint  of  wash-color,  are 
well  worthy  of  the  great  K6-H6gen  Motonobu,  whom  he 
followed. 

In  the  Fifth  Room  Kano  Naonobu  has  bequeathed  to 
us  some  delightful  little  sketches  in  the  Chinese  style; 
but  the  most  remarkable  object  of  art  here  to  be  studied 
is  Kano  Naonobu's  Fuji,  the  painting  which  so  splendidly 
fills  in  the  wide  and  lofty  tokonoma  of  this  room.  The 
composition  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired,  as  the  design 
fills  in  the  alcove  with  all  an  Egyptian's  feeling  for  spac- 
ing. The  noble  sweep  of  Fuji's  towering  outline  soars 
into  and  high  above  one  of  those  cloud  diadems  which 
are  seen  so  often  about  the  lower  stretches  of  her  snow- 
fields.  The  long  stretches  of  valley  and  field  that  fill  the 
middle  distance  are  drawn  with  more  than  Chinese 
rhythm.  Perhaps  we  stand  upon  some  vantage  point  near 
Kamakura;  upon  wooded  Inamura,  or  the  highest  point 
of  Shojoken  above  Kenchoji.  The  medium  of  this  fin- 
ished little  work  is  the  lightest  sumi,  touched  here  and 
there  by  a  dully  glowing  wash  of  minute  gold  flakes.  To 
another  tenderly  poetic  artist  of  the  Kano  School  are 
attributed  the  series  of  landscape  designs,  seen  upon  the 
fusuma  of  the  Sixth  Room.  Here  are  picturesque  hills 
and  valleys  that  remind  one  of  the  eight  famous  views  in 
the  region  of  the  Hsiao  and  Hsiang  Rivers,  of  China. 
The  author  of  these  natural  little  scenes  is  Kano  K6-i 
(1597-1673).  A  sliding  door,  which  conducts  to  the  next 

247 


KY6TO 

room,  is  decorated  with  a  startlingly  realistic  little  cat, 
curled  up  and  fast  asleep.  It  is  a  saying  here  that  if  one 
keeps  very  quiet,  one  can  hear  pussy  purr.  This  amus- 
ing little  sketch  is  attributed  to  Kano  Hidenobu  (i7th 
century). 

In  the  Seventh  Room  one  may  admire  a  series  of  winter 
landscapes  from  the  hand  of  Kano  Eitoku  (1543-1590)- 
Here,  by  means  of  sumi-ye,  alone  are  depicted  the  atmos- 
pheric contrasts  between  the  soft  white  glow  that  hangs 
above  a  snow-covered  ground,  and  the  broken  dull 
gray  of  the  exhausted  snow  clouds.  And  here  too  hints 
of  wash-gold  seem  to  bespeak  the  sun  that  shall  soon 
entirely  dissipate  the  broken  clouds.  Well  might 
Tannyu,  in  this  genre  at  least,  model  himself  upon  the 
work  of  his  gifted  grandfather,  for  the  author  of  these 
charming  fusuma  might  indeed  be  called  "  a  master  of 
the  snow-clad  beauties  of  winter."  The  Eighth  Room, 
once  used  as  a  reception  room  by  the  late  Emperor  Meiji 
Tenno,  possesses  splendid  fusuma,  with  designs  in  ink 
and  wash-gold,  by  both  Naonobu  and  Nobumasa  (iyth 
century).  To  the  left  is  depicted  a  design,  dear  to  the 
Chinese  artist  of  the  Early  Sung,  in  which  a  gnarled  and 
twisted  pine  hurls  its  contorted  branches  far  out  over 
a  steep  and  rocky  chasm.  Into  the  unseen  depths  of  this 
seemingly  bottomless  abyss,  a  roaring  cataract  hurls  it- 
self in  one  gigantic  leap.  As  we  watch  the  glistening 
clouds  of  mist  that  rise  from  below,  we  almost  feel  the 
ground  shake  beneath  our  feet,  the  cool  moisture  settle 
upon  our  cheeks.  Opposite,  and  in  sharp  contrast  to 
this  peaceful  composition,  are  Chinese  figures  drawn 
in  a  light  ink  medium.  The  poetic  composition  and  al- 
most feminine  handling  of  the  landscape  in  which  these 

248 


CHION-IN 

figures  stand,  are  especially  fine ;  no  doubt,  the  paintings 
are  to  be  attributed  to  the  dreamy  Naonobu.  The 
rather  vapid  and  tame  Chinese  rakan  attributed  to  N6- 
bumasa,  and  seen  to  the  left,  are  painted  in  watery  ink 
and  slight  wash-color  on  gold. 

The  Ninth  Room  boasts  a  set  of  sliding-screens, 
painted  in  colors  on  gold,  with  magnificent  designs  of 
birds  and  pine  trees.  The  great  brown  trunks  of  the 
pines  are  drawn  with  a  virile  brush  one  seldom  finds  in 
Naonobu,  but  the  fir  bristles  are  rendered  in  the  feathery 
elongated  way,  so  characteristic  of  his  delicate  touch, 
and  so  markedly  different  from  the  rounded  boldness  of 
his  more  virile,  if  less  poetic,  brother  Tannyu.  In  the 
Tenth  Room  again,  Naonobu  has  depicted  a  charming 
winter  scene,  in  which  delicate  cranes  stalk  about  in 
the  snow  beneath  wind-bent  pines.  Backed  against  this 
excellent  series  of  fusuma  stood  a  gold  screen  upon 
which  Kano  Tannyu  had  rapidly  yet  deftly  sketched,  in 
heavy  sepia  strokes,  the  design  of  playful  shishi.  And 
here  we  were  shown  two  folding-screens,  with  gorge- 
ously colored  designs  of  court  scenes,  figure  studies  at- 
tributed to  the  hand  of  the  founder  of  the  Ukiyoye,  or 
Popular  School,  Matahei  (1577-1650).  The  School  of 
the  Ukiyo-riu,  or  "  passing  world  "  came  into  existence 
late  in  the  sixteenth  century,  or  under  the  regime  of  the 
Tai'ko  Hideyoshi.  We  have  already  seen  that  the  Tai'ko 
had  built  for  himself  the  great  Palace  of  Momoyama, 
near  Fushumi,  and  filled  it  with  the  most  gorgeous  works 
of  art  of  which  the  splendour-loving  Eitoku,  Sanraku, 
and  Yusho  were  capable.  For  Hideyoshi  reveled  as 
much  in  gold  as  he  did  in  gore.  A  youthful  member  of 
his  court  was  Matahei,  who  fortunately  for  our  study  of 

249 


KYOTO 

his  time  and  customs,  forsook  the  Chinese  School  of 
painting,  and  threw  upon  his  screens  kakemono  and  pic- 
ture-rolls, scenes  of  court  life,  triumphal  and  religious 
processions,  such  as  he  was  accustomed  to  witness  in 
the  everyday  life  about  him.  In  this  we  must  say  he 
had  been  anticipated  to  some  extent  at  least  by  Kano 
Sanraku.  The  painting  under  discussion  provides  one 
of  those  glimpses  of  court  life,  with  its  love  of  riotous 
color  and  display  that  already  heralds  the  glitter  and 
ostentation  of  the  Genroku  Era  (1688-1708).  In  two 
rooms  beyond,  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Rooms,  we 
may  once  again  admire  fusuma  by  Kano  Tannyu.  These 
quick  but  deft  sketches,  painted  in  ink  and  soft  colors 
on  gold,  show  a  favorite  composition  of  the  Kano  artists, 
pheasants  in  early  spring.  The  birds  are  seen  huddled 
below  the  contorted  branches  of  an  ancient  pine.  Near 
by  tender  song-birds  rest  lightly  upon  the  wispy  boughs 
of  overpollared  willows. 

The  treasure-house  at  Chion-in  boasts  a  number  of 
famous  kakemono,  both  Chinese  and  Japanese.  The 
most  ancient  are  the  two  paintings  on  silk  attributed  to 
Hsu  Hsi,  an  eminent  Chinese  artist  of  the  tenth  century. 
The  first,  Figure  206,  shows  a  pair  of  snowy  herons  feed- 
ing beneath  the  overarching  flowers  and  leaves  of  pink 
lotus  flowers.  The  beautiful  lotus  flowers  and  jade 
green  leaves,  bending  beneath  a  gentle  August  breeze, 
Figure  207,  are  most  naturally  and  skilfully  rendered. 
The  spacing  of  the  composition  leaves  nothing  to  be  de- 
sired. Two  superb  kakemono  of  the  Ming  Dynasty  of 
China  are  illustrated  under  Figures  208  and  209.  In 
these  the  great  figure  painter,  Kiu-ying,  has  depicted 
Chinese  literati  admiring  the  famous  villa-garden  of 

250 


CHION-IN 

Kin-kuh  in  Honan,  erected  by  Shi-tsung,  a  scion  of  the 
Imperial  House  of  the  Tsin  Dynasty  of  China  (sd-4th 
centuries).  Like  the  more  famous  garden  Tau-li,  pres- 
ently to  be  discussed,  Kin-kuh  was  the  scene  of  many 
an  entertainment  perpetuated  in  both  Chinese  poetry  and 
prose.  Figure  209  shows  us  Kiu-ying's  conception  of 
that  other  garden,  the  Tau-li  of  Chang-an,  capital  of  the 
T'ang  Dynasty  (618-960).  Here  history  informs  us  the 
great  Chinese  poet,  Li  Tai-po,  gave  an  entertainment  to 
his  brethren.  In  his  description  of  the  event  he  says: 
"  Such  a  night  as  this  —  when  blossoms  are  beautiful  and 
breezes  are  gentle  —  has  been  given  us  from  heaven  for 
our  amusement,  so  that  we  should  do  our  best  in  merry- 
making; lighting  candles,  holding  the  wine-glass  and 
composing  poems !  Those  who  can  make  no  poetry  shall 
be  forced  to  drink  three  ton  of  wine  (about  six  gallons) 
in  imitation  of  the  ancient  garden-party  of  Kin-kuh ! " 
Thus  we  see  that  this  ancient  garden  of  the  Tau-li,  like 
the  Ashikaga  Palaces  of  the  Gold  and  Silver  Pavilions, 
was  laid  out  in  imitation  of  a  far  earlier  garden,  and  the 
very  amusements  and  forfeits  founded  upon  those  that 
took  place  in  the  villa  erected  by  the  unhappy  Shi-tsung 
of  Tsin. 

As  examples  of  Ming  Dynasty  painting  these  two  de- 
lightful renderings  of  a  most  poetic  subject  are  of  supreme 
importance.  Few  other  productions  of  this  somewhat  ef- 
feminate Ming  School  can  approach  them  in  charm  of 
composition,  delicacy  of  execution  and  wealth  —  re- 
strained wealth  —  of  coloring.  A  beautiful  and  de- 
servedly famous  religious  painting,  owned  by  the 
Chion-in  is  the  "  Descent  of  Amida  and  Bodhisattva," 
Figure  209,  ascribed  to  the  great  Japanese  artist-priest, 

251 


KYOTO 

Eshin  Sozu  (942-1017).  Eshin  was  influenced  in  the 
main  by  the  tenets  of  the  Jodo  (Old)  sect  of  Buddhism 
to  which  indeed  Chion-in  is  dedicated.  Of  the  spiritual- 
ity of  Eshin's  art,  this  Tosa-like  landscape  is  a  most 
representative  example.  To  the  right  of  the  paint- 
ing sits  Eshin,  in  an  attitude  of  adoration.  He  gazes 
heavenward,  where,  upon  a  splendid  fan-shaped 
cloud,  Amida  and  his  attendants  reveal  to  him  a 
vision  of  the  "Pure  Land  of  the  West."  His  lit- 
tle pavilion  is  charmingly  placed,  being  set  upon  the 
high  slopes  of  Mount  Hieizan.  Here  blossoming  wild 
cherries  and  tall  cedars  cling  tenaciously  to  the 
slopes,  and  a  wild  mountain  stream  tumbles  headlong 
in  many  leaps  and  bounds  to  vanish  in  a  mist.  The 
landscape  and  minor  details  are  painted  in  soft  and 
tender  pigments,  a  restraint  which  serves  to  throw  into 
greater  prominence  the  main  theme  of  the  picture.  This 
glorious  vision  of  the  welcome,  which  Amida  vouchsafes 
to  the  faithful,  is  a  mass  of  cut  gold-leaf.  As  an  ex- 
pression of  the  unbounded  love  and  solicitude  of  the 
deity,  such  a  theme  and  rendering  could  hardly  fail  to 
rivet  the  attention  of  the  masses,  with  whom  the  Jodo 
doctrine  was  more  especially  concerned.  At  sight  of 
such  a  glorious  vision,  the  most  insensible  must  needs 
have  been  moved. 

And  Chion-in  still  possesses  a  series  of  paintings,  a 
picture-roll  of  colors  on  paper,  which  illustrates  the  life 
of  the  priest,  Honen  Shonin,  founder  of  the  Old  Jodo  sect, 
of  which  the  golden  Amidas  of  Eshin  were  the  grandest 
pictorial  expression.  The  accompanying  illustration, 
Figure  211,  is  taken  from  one  of  forty-eight  rolls  which 
exemplify  the  whole  panoramic  history  of  the  saint.  It 

252 


CHION-IN 

shows  the  mother  of  Honen  Shonin  tearfully  bidding 
farewell  to  her  little  son.  The  priest,  his  future  instruc- 
tor, is  also  overcome  by  emotion,  as  indeed  are  all  the 
friends  and  retainers  of  the  house.  The  costume  of  the 
mother  reveals  the  voluminous  draperies  of  the  Kama- 
kura  Epoch,  and  here  too  is  portrayed  the  quaint  custom 
of  shaving  and  painting  the  eyebrows  and  letting  the  hair 
fall  at  length  behind  the  head.  The  paintings  are  said 
to  have  been  executed  by  Kunitaka,  an  eminent  artist  of 
the  Tosa,  or  native  school,  who  flourished  about  1299- 
1316. 

Gessen,  a  pupil  of  Maruyama  6kyo,  has  left  us  a  quaint 
conceit  in  his  picture-roll  of  "  The  Blind  Man  Crossing  a 
Bridge,"  Figure  212.  This  artist  painted  good  land- 
scapes, but  he  was  especially  famous  for  his  figure 
studies;  though  in  these  his  somewhat  Toba-like  humor 
often  led  him  into  coarseness  of  subject  and  carelessness 
of  execution.  He  is  here  seen  at  his  best  perhaps;  the 
quaint  figures  and  ludicrous  expressions  of  the  blind  man 
being  extraordinarily  natural  and  yet  how  drolly  cari- 
catured! The  artist  died  in  the  year  1809,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  89. 

One  little  treasure  of  the  temple,  an  example  of  early 
metal  work,  is  the  famous  tabotoko,  or  relief  of  the 
Amida  Trinity,  in  gilt-copper.  The  gandhara-like  de- 
sign is  embossed,  and  shows  Amida  seated  upon  a  lotus 
at  center.  Beside  him  his  two  attendants  stand  in  the 
cup  of  lotus-flowers.  Over  the  heads  of  the  triad  hangs 
a  pendent  canopy  of  jewels.  The  object  is  attributed  to 
the  First  Nara  Epoch,  perhaps,  more  especially,  to  the 
era  of  Wado-Yoro  (708-724).  As  such  it  is  the  most 
ancient  treasure  of  this  foundation. 

253 


KY6TO 

Leaving  the  temple  grounds  by  the  path  upon  which 
we  ascended,  we  may  continue  on  through  the  near-by 
gate  (left)  to  the  far-famed  Maruyama  Cherry  tree. 
Here,  if  one  is  so  fortunate  as  to  be  in  Kyoto  during 
April,  a  sight  meets  the  eye  which  no  after-impression 
can  utterly  efface.  In  full  blossom  this  ancient  tree  is  a 
wonderful  sight  during  the  daytime.  But  at  night,  sur- 
rounded by  the  innumerable  paper  lanterns,  whose  lights 
flicker  among  the  stunted  pines  near-by,  this  tree,  like  a 
ghost  tree  of  ethereal  rose,  reaches  far  and  wide  its  long 
arms.  Each  and  all  are  so  aged,  so  heavy  with  blossoms, 
that  great  props  alone  serve  to  keep  them  from  dropping 
from  the  giant  trunk. 

NISHI   HONGWANJI 

The  huge  Nishi  (Western)  Hongwanji  Temple,  per- 
haps the  grandest  example  of  Buddhist  architecture  in 
Japan,  was  erected  under  the  Taiko  Hideyoshi  in  the 
year  iSQi.45  It  is  dedicated  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Monto  sect  of  Buddhism,  a  branch  of  Jodo,  whose  main 
theme  consists  of  childlike  faith  in  the  power  of  Amida. 
To  invoke  the  name  of  this  powerful  deity  in  faith  ten 
successive  times  was  considered  an  all-sufficient  guar- 
antee of  future  bliss  in  his  Pure  Land  of  the  West.  The 
great  popularity  of  this  simple  creed  accounts,  in  part,  for 
the  enormous  size  of  its  buildings  and  forecourts,  gor- 
geous processions  being  a  great  feature  of  its  ritual. 
The  founder  of  this  sect,  often  alluded  to  as  the  Protes- 
tantism of  Japan,  as  its  priests  are  allowed  to  marry, 
was  a  certain  scion  of  the  Imperial  Family,  Shinran 
Shonin,  1172-1262.  Hence,  the  suji-bei  or  striped  plaster 

45  The  near-by  Higashi  (Eastern)  Hongwanji  is  somewhat  larger.  It  was 
burnt  down  and  rebuilt  in  the  year  1895. 

254 


NISHI  HONGWANJI 

decoration  of  its  enclosing-walls,  a  curious  form  of  orna- 
mentation commonly  reserved  to  members  of  the  Im- 
perial House  alone. 

The  Nishi  Hongwanji  is  approached  by  numerous 
gates,  but  of  them  all  that  called  Karamon  is  especially 
admired,  Figure  213.  It  is  said  to  have  formed  one  of 
the  many  artistic  and  architectural  objects  sent  by  Hide- 
yoshi  himself  from  this  monster  castle  of  Momoyama,  or 
Peach  Mountain,  whose  ruins  may  still  be  seen  at 
Fushimi  near  Kyoto.  The  gate  is  a  mass  of  intricate 
carving  which  recalls  the  art-style  affected  by  Hideyo- 
shi's  favorite  wood-carver,  Jingoro,  nicknamed  Hidari  or 
Left-handed.  An  amusing  subject  of  one  of  its  many 
panels  shows  Hsii-yu,  a  Chinese  hero  under  the  Emperor 
Yao,  in  the  act  of  washing  his  ear  that  he  may  thus  be 
rid  of  the  pollution  of  his  Emperor's  expressed  desire 
that  he  should  abdicate  in  his  (Hsu-yu's)  favour.  A 
naive  detail  seen  in  an  opposite  panel  represents  the 
owner  of  an  unnaturally  thin  cow  as  quarrelling  with  the 
loyal  Hsii-yu  for  thus  defiling  the  stream  at  which  he 
was  about  to  water  his  beast. 

The  famous  Apartments  of  the  Hongwanji  are  char- 
acterized by  a  brilliancy  of  decoration  and  gorgeousness 
of  appointment  that  must  have  had  its  inspiration  in 
Hideyoshi's  castle,  to  which  we  have  already  referred. 
Indeed,  many  of  its  most  prized  treasures  are  said  to 
have  formed  part  of  the  spoil  of  that  still  impressive  site. 
These  apartments  consist  of  some  twelve  rooms,  of  which 
the  ordinary  sightseer  commonly  visits  eight,  including 
the  Taimen-no-ma,  which  is,  by  far,  the  best. 

Room  One,  a  small  chamber,  is  surrounded  with  gold 
fusuma  decorated  with  charming,  if  somewhat  damaged, 

255 


KY6TO 

designs  of  little  brown  sparrows  among  deep  malachite- 
green  bamboos.  Its  panelled  ceiling  is  painted  with 
floral  designs  in  detached  sprays,  the  whole  decoration 
being  attributed  to  the  artist  6zui,  1766-1829,  eldest  son 
of  the  founder  of  the  Maruyama  School,  Maruyama 
6kyo,  1733-1795.  From  this  small  chamber  we  are  led 
to  Room  two,  pausing  on  the  way  to  admire  two  cedar 
doors  painted  by  minor  artists  of  the  Kano  School.  We 
shall  probably  fail  to  detect  the  slightest  comparison  be- 
tween the  squeaking  boards  of  the  corridors  hereabouts 
and  the  notes  of  the  Japanese  nightingale,  but  that,  our 
priestly  guide  would  say,  is  because  we  have  "  no  tea  in 
us." 

The  fusfima  of  the  Second  Room  are  decorated  with 
charming  bird  and  flower  designs,  geese  in  colors  on 
gold  by  Kano  Ryokei.  The  deep  brown  geese  with 
their  long  red  legs  are  delightfully  drawn,  and  among  the 
other  objects  of  interest  to  be  noted  are  the  panelled 
ceiling  and  the  ramma,  with  its  remarkable  openwork 
carving,  showing  wild  geese  flying  across  the  moon. 
These  magnificent  examples  of  reticulated  wood-carving 
are  attributed  to  the  sculptor,  Hidari  Jingoro,  1584-1634. 
It  seems  equally  certain  that  the  designs  must  have  come 
from  the  hand  of  that  greatest  of  decorative  artists  of  the 
Toyotomi  Period  (1543-1590),  Kano  Eitoku. 

Room  Three  contains  some  of  the  most  brilliantly 
decorative  screens  to  be  met  with  in  this  palatial  build- 
ing, for  its  gorgeous  fusuma  are  enriched  with  superb 
designs  in  semi-relief  of  chrysanthemums  and  other 
flowers,  designs  attributed  to  the  artist,  Kaihoku  Yu- 
setsu,  1595-1677.  This  clever  painter  belongs  to  the 
so-called  Kaihoku  School  of  Yusho,  his  father,  who,  with 

256 


Fig.  205.  Box.  Gold  and  Sil- 
ver Lacquer  Inlaid  with  Metal 
and  Mother-of-Pearl.  Late  Fuji- 
wara  Epoch,  1072-1155.  Kong- 
obuji,  Koyasan. 

Tajima,   "Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  206.  Painting  in  Col- 
ours on  Silk.  Lotus  and 
Herons.  Attributed  to  Hsu 
Hsi  of  the  Northern  Sung 
Dynasty  (10th  Century). 


Fig.  207.  Painting  in  Colours 
on  Silk.  Lotus  Blown  by  the  Wind. 
Attributed  to  Hsu  Hsi  of  the  Sung 
Dynasty  (10th  Century). 

Chion-in,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  208.  Painting  in  Colours 
on  Silk.  Shi-tsung's  Villa-Gar- 
den called  Kinkuh.  By  the  Chi- 
nese artist  Kiu-ying,  Ming  Dy- 
nasty. 

Chion-in,  Kyoto. 


Fig.    209.  Similar. 

Villa  Garden  called  Tau- 
li. 


Fig.  210.  Painting  in  Gold  and  Col- 
ours on  Silk.  Eshin's  Vision  of  Amida. 
Attributed  to  Eshin  Sozu  (d.  1017). 
Chion-in,  Kyoto. 


Fig.  211.  Detail  of  Picture-Roll  in  Colours 
on  Paper.  Honen  Shonin,  as  a  Child,  Bids  Fare- 
well to  his  Mother.  By  Kunitaka  Tosa  (?). 
Flourished  about  1299-1316. 

Chion-in,    Kyoto. 


Fig.     212.     Detail    from     Picture-Roll    in     Sumi    on    Paper.     Blind    Men 
Crossing    a    Bridge.      By    Gessen,    1720-1809.     Chion-in,    Kyoto. 

Tajima,    "Selected  Relics." 


NISHI   HONGWANJI 

Kano  Sanraku,  was  first  among  the  pupils  of  Eitoku. 
In  painting  figures  Yusho  seems  to  have  affected  the 
style  of  an  eminent  Chinese  painter  of  the  Sung  Dynasty, 
Liang  Kai.  Through  him  Yusho  learned  a  method  of 
painting  human  figures  with  the  fewest  possible  brush- 
strokes. The  scarcity  of  folds  noticeable  in  the  costumes 
of  his  figures  caused  critics  to  refer  to  his  paintings  as 
fukuro-ye  or  "bag-like  paintings."  As  a  painter  of 
flowers,  Yusho  was  second  to  none,  and  judging  by  these 
splendid  fusuma,  of  his  son  Yusetsu,  he  too  in  this  line 
at  least,  is  well  deserving  of  a  high  place  among  the  many 
eminent  decorative  artists  of  his  day. 

Passing  Kano  Hidenobu's  musk-cats  and  sago  palms, 
and  Ryotaku's  sleeping  cat,  painted  upon  the  panels  of 
the  cedar  doors  of  the  corridor,  we  reach  the  Shiro-in,  a 
richly  ornamented  suite  of  three  chambers  which  pos- 
sesses a  stage  for  the  performance  of  the  Bugaku-dance 
and  No-drama.  The  spirited  designs  of  Chinese  Court 
scenes  are  from  the  hand  of  Matsuga  or  "  Kano,"  K6-i 
as  he  is  more  commonly  known.  This  sufficiently  clever 
painter  is  said  to  have  received  his  art  education  from 
that  splendid  decorative  artist  of  the  Toyotomi  Period,40 
Eitoku  Kano,  1543-1590.  Ko-i's  works  are  always  pleas- 
ing, yet  his  memory  is  more  especially  cherished  as  the 
teacher  of  the  famous  brothers  Tannyu,  Naonobu  and 
Yasunobu  Kano.  The  smaller  room,  with  designs  of 
peacocks  and  blossoming  cherry  trees,  shows  K6-i  at 
his  best,  for  in  these  designs  K6-i  has  preserved  much 
of  Eitoku's  gorgeousness  of  decoration  and  brilliancy 

46  Period  extending  from  1573-1602,  and  so  named  in  honor  of  T6yot6mi 
Hidcyoshi,  a  famous  warrior  and  statesman,  under  whom  the  golden  splen- 
dours of  Japanese  interior  decoration  may  he  said  to  have  reached  the  height 
of  its  short  career. 

257 


KYOTO 

of  technique.  And  in  these  rooms  we  should  again  note 
the  beautifully  carved  ramma,  an  intricate  mass  of  deli- 
cately carved  floral  and  bird  designs  representing  full- 
blown peonies,  exquisite  wistaria,  and  gaudy  pheasants. 
In  these  supremely  rich  designs  with  their  gorgeous  cov- 
ering of  dull  gold,  one  feels  again  the  influence  of  Eitoku. 
Perhaps  to  his  hand  belongs  the  original  design. 

Room  Seven  is  a  small  apartment  lined  with  fusuma 
embellished  with  hunting  scenes,  attributed  to  Kimura 
Sanraku,  Figure  217.  Sanraku  Kano,  1558-1635,  was 
perhaps  Eitoku's  best  pupil.  He  it  is,  at  any  rate,  who 
best  succeeded  in  carrying  on  that  "  gold  and  emerald 
art "  so  distinctive  a  feature  of  the  Kano  inspired  art  of 
Eitoku,  his  master.47 

It  is  customary  to  pause  at  the  cedar  doors  near  by, 
as  the  guide  commonly  takes  this  opportunity  of  pouring 
out  the  doleful  tale  of  Atsumori  and  Kumagai  Naozane,48 
an  incident  of  the  fiercely  contested  Taira-Minamoto 
Wars  of  the  twelfth  century. 

The  short  corridor  which  connects  this  chamber  with 
Room  eight  is  decorated  in  colors  with  floral  designs  of 
wistarias  and  an  ugly  ceiling  decoration  of  books  and 
scrolls.  These  designs  are  attributed  to  Yusetsu. 

To  fully  appreciate  the  decorative  glory  of  these  apart- 
ments, we  must  proceed  to  the  Eighth  Room,  commonly 
called  the  Taimen-no-ma,  Figure  215.  The  interior 
here  is  a  mass  of  delicate  carvings,  colossal  cedar  col- 
umns and  incomparable  figure  studies  in  colors  against 
a  background  of  brilliant  gold-leaf.  Its  stupendous  ceil- 
ing is  broken  up  by  innumerable  square  panels  edged 

47  And  see,  MySshinjI,  the  Tenkyu-in,  Ky5to. 

48  See  Murray's  Japan,  p.  78. 

258 


NISHI   HONGWANJI 

with  black  and  gold  lacquer  and  filled  in  with  floral  de- 
signs, representing  the  "  seven  herbs  of  autumn."  These 
are  from  the  hand  of  Kano  Eitoku,  the  most  brilliantly 
florid  decorative  artist  of  the  Toyotomi  Period,  1573- 
1602.  Eitoku,  or  Shigenobu  as  he  is  sometimes  called, 
was  the  artist  chosen  above  all  others  to  decorate  Hide- 
yoshi's  Juraku  Palace  and  his  famous  Castle  of  6saka. 
And  some  idea  of  the  splendour  of  the  golden  wall-paint- 
tings  that  formerly  decorated  those  two  mighty  castles 
may  be  inferred  from  the  supreme  beauty  of  the  designs 
which  ornament  the  front  and  two  sides  of  this  famous 
room.  Eitoku's  incomparable  figure  designs  seen  in 
the  great  tokonoma  or  alcove  at  centre,  designs  executed 
in  the  Chinese  style  then  so  much  in  vogue,  are  one  of  the 
happiest  decorative  achievements  of  his  career.  The  re- 
strained floral  designs  and  sprays  of  blossoming  trees 
and  shrubs  seen  in  the  panels  between  the  great  square 
columns,  are  similarly  attributed  to  this  famous  deco- 
rative artist  of  the  sixteenth  century.  And  we  may  not 
be  far  wrong  if  we  suppose  that  to  his  hand  belonged  the 
original  designs  for  the  superb  openwork  frieze  of  gilt- 
wood  carvings  seen  above  the  Chinese  paintings  of  the 
tokonoma  and  continued  along  on  either  side.  Here  we 
see  almost  life-sized  storks  flying  above  bending  reeds 
and  marsh-flowers,  designs  said  to  have  been  carved  by 
Hideyoshi's  master  craftsman,  Hidari  Jingoro,  1584- 
1634. 

The  fourth  side  of  the  hall  gives  upon  a  sandy  court. 
Here  stands  the  stage  for  No-drama,  those  solemn 
and  somewhat  Grecian  performances,  in  which  are  pre- 
sented many  of  the  great  tragedies,  romances  and  re- 
ligious experiences  of  earlier  days. 

259 


KY6TO 

The  Hondo  or  Main  Temple  is  connected  with  the 
apartments  by  a  covered  corridor.  It  is  a  huge  wooden 
structure,  some  138  feet  long  and  93  feet  deep  inside.  Its 
sloping  roof  is  fitted  with  innumerable  gray  tiles  plac- 
ing, what  seems  to  represent,  an  unnecessarily  heavy 
pressure  upon  its  many  wooden  columns.  Yet  experi- 
ence has  taught  that  such  a  top-weight,  set  upon  the 
more  or  less  elastic  columns  that  support  it,  offers  a  suf- 
ficient give  to  the  undulating  shocks  of  seismic  disturb- 
ance. 

The  nave  is  finished  with  keyaki-wood  as  custom  pre- 
scribes. In  front,  its  walls  are  richly  gilt,  and  this 
gorgeous  decoration  is  further  enhanced  by  the  gilt 
doors  and  fusuma  ornamented  with  tender  winter  scenes 
of  plum  trees,  pines  and  bamboos  bending  beneath  their 
heavy  coat  of  snow.  Above  these  latter  are  openwork 
gilt  wood  ramma,  carvings  representing  the  buds  and 
blossoms  of  the  peony  and,  perhaps,  transferred  from 
Hideyoshi's  palace  at  Fushimi.  On  each  side  of  the 
chancel  are  two  gorgeous  rooms  decorated  with  gilt 
columns  and  walls  embellished  with  designs  of  lotus- 
flowers  in  colors  on  gold  with  the  Buddhist's  invoca- 
tion to  the  golden  Amida,  and  here  too  are  compara- 
tively modern  idealistic  portraits  of  the  successive  heads 
of  the  Monto  sect. 

In  the  center  of  the  chancel  stands  the  gilt-wood 
shrine,  a  reliquary  rich  with  carved  floral  designs. 
Within  sits  the  memorial-statuette  of  the  founder  of  the 
Shin  or  Monto  sect,  Shinran  Shonin  (i3th  century),  a 
wooden  figure  said  to  have  been  carved  by  the  saint  him- 
self. Very  beautiful  are  the  delicate  wood-carvings  of  its 
dais,  panels  embellished  with  painted  openwork  designs 

260 


NISHI   HONGWANJI 

of  birds  and  flowers  against  a  rich  gold  background.  In 
the  dim  obscurity  of  the  room  one  finds  one's  self  stand- 
ing beneath  a  superbly  coffered  ceiling,  whose  decora- 
tion consists  of  painted  Buddhist  crests  on  gold.  Below 
this  runs  a  frieze  of  carved  woodwork,  also  richly  painted 
and  gilded. 

The  near-by  Amida-do  or  Hall  of  Amida  is  smaller 
than  the  Kondo.  It  is  in  very  much  the  same  style  as 
the  larger  hall  however,  though  there  is  but  one 
room  on  either  side  of  the  main  chamber.  These  two 
rooms  are  decorated  with  idealistic  portraits  of  Shotoku 
Taishi  and  great  Buddhist  patriarchs.  The  central 
chamber  contains  a  carved  wood  shrine  in  which  stands 
a  small  gilt  Amida,  some  3  feet  in  height,  perhaps  at- 
tributable to  the  sculptor  Jocho  (i2th  century)  or,  at 
least,  to  some  early  artist  working  in  the  style  of  the 
Abbot  Eshin  Sozu,  942-1017.  Some  splendid  examples 
of  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  century  wood-carving  will 
be  seen  in  the  ramma  which  ornament  this  central  room. 
To  the  same  period  also  belong  the  gold  fusuma  near 
the  dais  embellished  with  bird  and  floral  designs.  It  may 
perhaps  be  attributed  to  Eitoku's  adopted  son  and  pupil, 
Kano  Sanraku. 

The  Honwanji  is  especially  rich  in  screens.  A  pair  by 
Kano  Sanraku,  Figure  216-217,  show  the  influence  of 
both  Motonobu  —  trees  and  landscape  —  and  Eitoku  — 
the  birds.  Especially  fine  is  his  folding  screen  recently 
exhibited  in  the  Imperial  Museum,  Kyoto.49  In  this  su- 
perb monochrome  sketch  he  reveals  a  full  mastery  of  the 
Chinese  styles  of  the  Sung  and  Yuan  artists.  Indeed, 

40  The  more  important  artistic  treasures  belonging  to  the  various  temples 
are  now  listed  as  National  Treasure,  and  as  such  exhibited  in  the  Museums 
from  time  to  time. 

261 


KYOTO 

here  at  least  Sanraku  has  outrivalled  his  adoptive 
father.  The  subject  may  perhaps  have  been  conceived 
in  the  Zen  spirit  of  a  far  earlier  date  whereby  spiritual 
truths  were  brought  home  to  such  as  could  rightly  in- 
terpret them  through  the  manifestations  of  natural  phe- 
nomena. Some  have  seen  in  this  the  overthrow  of 
Hideyoshi's  family  (represented  by  the  monkey),  at  the 
hands  of  Tokugawa  leyasu  (the  fierce  vulture).  For 
Hideyoshi  himself  was  called  "  Monkey-Face." 

An  example  of  the  last  great  master  of  the  native  Tosa 
art  is  illustrated  under  Figure  218,  two  of  forty-eight 
paintings  attributed  to  Tosa  Mitsuoki,  1617-1691. 
These  pictures  serve  to  illustrate  a  novel  written  by  the 
Lady  Fujiwara  Katako,  daughter  of  the  even  more 
famous  lady  novelist,  Murasaki  Shikibu,  composer  of 
"Genji  Monogatari."  The  Lady  Katako's  novel  deals 
with  the  life  and  adventures  of  a  certain  military  hero 
named  Sagoromo,  and  thus  these  paintings  are  commonly 
referred  to  as  "  Illustrations  for  the  Sagoromo  Monoga- 
tari." Katako  flourished  about  the  beginning  of  the 
eleventh  century. 

Here  the  roofless  art  of  old  Tosa  is  carefully  repro- 
duced by  the  loyal  Mitsuoki.  We  meet  with  many 
of  the  familiar  little  details;  the  quaint  features  of  the 
gorgeously  robed  Fujiwara  lords  and  ladies,  the  prim 
little  trees  —  but  a  slight  advance  upon  those  of  Toji's 
ancient  screen  —  the  naive  little  trellised  arbors,  the 
ponderous  ox-carts,  each  and  every  design  appearing 
and  disappearing  in  swirling  mists  of  powdered  gold- 
leaf. 

How  different  in  treatment  from  this  stilted  little 
series  is  Chung  Mu's  marvelous  painting  on  silk  repre- 

262 


NISHI  HONGWANJI 

senting  pure  white  herons  gathering  beneath  the  snow- 
covered  boughs  of  bamboos  and  willows!  This  picture 
was  produced  about  the  close  of  the  Sung  Dynasty  of 
China  (isth  century).  And  it  may  well  be  character- 
ized as  one  of  the  most  exquisite  examples  of  painting 
in  colors  on  silk  that  has  survived  to  us  from  the  hand 
of  one  of  the  great  artists  of  Sung,  the  classical  age  of 
Chinese  painting. 


263 


KOYASAN 


NO  one  should  miss  Koyasan,  that  mountain  sacred 
to  the  memory  of  the  Buddhist  saint,  Kukai,  or 
Kobo  Daishi.  Simply  to  pass  the  night,  more  japonico, 
amid  the  dimly  seen  splendours  of  its  gorgeously  deco- 
rated apartments  is  a  unique  experience.  So,  for  that 
matter,  is  the  entire  excursion.  One  leaves  the  train  at 
Koyaguchi,  and  ascends  the  mountain  through  virgin 
forests.  The  ascent  is  made  on  foot  or  in  kago,  or  carry- 
ing chair.  One  arrives  tired  and  hungry,  as  only  a  stiff 
climb  among  the  pines  can  make  one.  The  evening  meal 
is  enjoyed  by  lantern  light  in  the  Shojo  Shin-in,  beside 
a  charming  lotus-pond,  which  sparkles  and  bubbles  to 
the  rush  of  voracious  carp  and  gold-fish.  There,  seated 
on  cushions,  one  may  refresh  oneself  with  bowls  of  de- 
licious mushroom  soup,  bean  paste,  seaweed,  pickles  and 
a  vegetable  conglomerate,  samples  of  the  dainty  (?)  diet 
of  the  monks  of  Koya.  For  the  monks,  as  strict  follow- 
ers of  Shaka,  abstain  entirely  from  the  flesh  of  animals. 
And  here  too  one  closes  one's  eyes  amid  painted  visions 
of  spreading  pines  and  blossoming  cherry  trees,  seen 
dimly  amid  the  dull  flashes  of  golden  backgrounds.  In 
the  morning,  when  the  soft  cooing  of  the  pigeons  has 
awakened  one  —  for  these  plump  little  birds  perform 
their  morning's  ablutions  in  the  lotus-pond  outside  — 
the  true  glory  of  Motonobu's  brush  bursts  upon  one. 
For  the  fusuma  of  this  sleeping  chamber  are  rich  with 
boldly  executed  color  and  ink  designs,  representing 
cherry  trees  in  blossom,  long-legged  cranes  of  dignified 

267 


K6YASAN 

and  abstracted  mien,  or  great  pines  whose  sturdy 
branches,  thrown  protectingly  above  little  tea-houses, 
seem  to  bid  defiance  to  the  raging  hurricanes.  Again,  to 
the  right,  are  some  extraordinary  studies  of  wild  geese  in 
flight  or  at  rest  amidst  the  protecting  shadows  of  high 
swamp-grasses  and  waving  reeds.  Truly  marvelous  is  a 
monochrome  study  of  a  goose  turning  in  mid-air.  The 
truthful  rendering  of  the  headlong  speed,  so  suddenly  ar- 
rested; the  grace  and  suppleness  shown  in  this  draw- 
ing of  the  wheeling  bird,  are  a  revelation.  And  un- 
doubtedly the  great  K6-H6gen  himself  was  proud  of  it, 
for  he  has  left  it  the  sole  ornament  of  a  single  large 
panel.  Note  too  the  contrast,  ever  dear  to  the  Oriental, 
between  the  soft  plumage  of  the  bird  and  the  deep, 
jagged  black  brush-strokes  of  the  rocks  below.  Be- 
yond this  panel  are  shown  other  members  of  the  flock; 
and  here  one,  apparently  the  leader,  lifts  his  head  to 
trumpet  a  signal  to  the  wheeling  bird.  Above  the  heads 
of  this  group  are  spread  the  branches  of  a  thick-stemmed 
maple.  Its  dainty  leaves  are  a  riot  of  autumn  reds  and 
crimsons.  The  larger  fusuma  of  the  two  rooms  beyond 
(right)  are  decorated  with  a  superb  pine,  whose  con- 
torted brown  branches  and  malachite-green  boughs, 
stand  out  boldly  from  a  background  of  gold-leaf.  This 
grand  example  of  Kano's  School  of  art  is  from  the  brush 
of  Tsunenobu  (1635-1713).  A  smaller  room,  near  by, 
contains  other  works  by  artists  of  this  long-lived  school ; 
for  examples  of  Kano  art  on  Koyasan  are  many.  Here 
are  two  small  fusuma  by  an  unknown  artist  of  the  Tosa 
School.  These  depict  colored  studies  of  bird  life  and 
flowers.  The  birds  are  delightfully  grouped.  The  little 
tufted  ducks  and  the  silly  crane  with  its  head  turned  in- 

268 


KONG6BUJI 

quiringly  towards  one  are  most  naturally  rendered. 
The  snow  too,  seen  upon  the  branches  of  the  white  and 
pink  camellias,  clings  wetly  and  heavily  to  the  bending 
boughs.  Immediately  below  we  may  admire  six  of  a  set 
of  twelve  little  ashidei-ye  figure-paintings  attributed 
somewhat  hastily  to  Kano  Mitsunobu,  son  of  Eitoku. 
But  far  more  important  are  the  monochrome  fusuma 
which  surround  the  room,  panels  painted  with  charming 
designs  of  doves  perched  in  the  branches  of  blossoming 
plum  trees.  As  in  so  many  paintings  of  the  Kano  School, 
a  background  of  gold-leaf  serves  to  enrich  the  panels,  and 
to  relieve  them  of  any  hint  of  coldness.  In  the  alcove 
hung  two  faded  Chinese  monochrome  landscapes  on  silk, 
superb  examples  of  an  unknown  master  of  the  Sung  Dy- 
nasty (i2th  century).  Here  steep-roofed  pagodas  and 
kiosks,  hung  on  the  edges  of  giant  crags  or  rocky  preci- 
pices. To  the  sheer  and  forbidding  bastions  of  the  riven 
mountain-side  stunted  pines  clung  valiantly  in  seeming 
defiance  of  storm  and  tempest.  The  companion  piece 
provides  the  restful  note,  for  in  this  we  see  a  placid 
lake,  dotted  with  fishing-boats,  and  a  tiny  summer- 
house  pitched  where  one  might  best  enjoy  the  rainbows 
that  come  and  go  in  the  whirling  mists  of  a  tumbling 
waterfall. 

Stored  away  in  a  long  corridor  beyond  are  many  mas- 
terpieces. And  one  cannot  fail  to  mention  a  pair  of 
screens  attributed  to  Sesshu  (1420-1507),  twenty-four 
panels  painted  in  monochrome-ink  against  a  background 
powdered  with  tiny  grains  of  cut  gold-leaf.  Best  of  these 
splendid  panels  is  that  in  which  Sesshu  has  depicted  a 
hazy  mountain  scene  by  moonlight.  We  see  a  precipi- 
tous mountain  pass,  up  which  men  are  driving  strings  of 

269 


KOYASAN 

heavily  laden  beasts  of  burden.  Their  objective  point 
appears  to  be  a  shelter,  tucked  away  at  the  side  of  a  tum- 
bling waterfall.  What  a  tenderly  veiled  moon  it  is! 
How  soft  and  vaporous  the  mists  that  lightly  float  above 
the  leaping  cataract !  This  is  not  the  Sesshu  of  the  virile 
lines  and  startling  contrasts,  the  Sesshu  of  the  gaunt  and 
hairy  Shakas;  of  the  fiery-eyed  and  unswervable  Daru- 
mas !  No,  here  we  have  him  in  one  of  his  gentler  moods ; 
a  mood  in  which  he  has  sought  to  interpret  some  impres- 
sion of  his  Chinese  travels.  Perhaps  we  are  to  see  in  this 
some  corner  of  the  old  Nankow  Pass  or  some  mountain 
gorge  above  Ichang ! 

But  to  sufficiently  enumerate  one-half  of  the  many  re- 
markable screens,  panels,  rolls  and  kakemono  preserved 
within  this  building  would  require  a  volume  of  itself. 
Yet  we  cannot  pass  over  the  gorgeous  screen  by  Iwasa 
Matahei,  founder  of  the  Ukiyo-ye  School.  Here  is  a  mass 
of  riotous  color  well  worthy  of  reproduction  in  detail, 
were  it  solely  on  account  of  the  superb  costumes  with 
which  he  has  clothed  his  elaborately  dressed  men  and 
women.  Again,  a  large  screen  painted  in  monochrome 
on  paper,  and  representing  "  The  Seven  Sages  in  the 
Bamboo  Grove  "  is  remarkable  for  the  rugged  strength  of 
its  deep  and  withered  black  outlines.  Whether  rightly  at- 
tributed to  Kaihoku  Yusho  (1532-1515),  the  details  are 
brought  out  with  all  a  master's  facility  in  the  delineations 
of  those  finer  gradations  of  brush-stroke,  whose  subtle 
handling  marks  the  difference  between  the  master  and  the 
novice.  No  worthier  hand  than  that  of  Yusho  could  have 
preserved  to  us  the  monochrome-ink  tradition  of  the 
Chinese  artists  of  Sung,  as  bequeathed  by  the  Zen- 
shu. 

270 


KONG6BOJI 

Kobo  Daishi's  great  monastery,50  the  Kongobuji,  or 
"  Diamond  Summit  Temple/'  is  pitched  in  the  hollow  of 
the  summit  of  the  mountain,  as  it  were,  in  the  heart  of 
the  sacred  lotus.  The  Imperial  House  long  accorded 
this  temple  its  special  patronage.  Many  of  the  Emperors 
have  ascended  the  mountain  to  pray  before  the  shrine  of 
Kobo  Daishi,  some  as  many  as  three  times.  It  possess 
many  works  of  art,  both  in  painting  and  sculpture.  In 
pictorial  art,  Chinese  (T'ang)  influence  is  strongly 
evinced  in  the  famous  Fudo  attributed  to  Enchin,  or  as  he 
is  more  commonly  known,  Chisho  Daishi,  Figure  189. 
Chisho  (814-891),  founder  of  the  temple  Miidera  on  Lake 
Biwa,  with  Dengyo,  of  Hieisan,  and  Kobo  of  Koyasan, 
has  been  called  one  of  the  true  founders  of  mystical  Bud- 
dhism and  its  art  in  Japan.  Like  Kobo  Daishi,  he  studied 
the  Tendai  (Shingon)  doctrine  in  China,  and  returned  to 
his  native  land  bringing  many  examples  of  T'ang  art. 
In  regard  to  this  painting  of  Fudo,  it  is  stated  that  Chisho 
Daishi  executed  it  with  blood  from  his  own  head ;  hence, 
the  color.  It  appears  to  be  an  example  of  T'ang  art; 
not  improbably  one  of  the  very  paintings  imported  by 
the  Daishi  upon  his  return  from  Tendai.  At  any  rate  we 
may  well  admire  a  painting  on  silk  that  has  survived  the 
wars,  fires  and  earthquakes  extending  over  a  period  of 
some  twelve  hundred  years.  A  portrait  which  recalls 
Chen  Hui  and  Kobo  Daishi,  as  represented  in  their  series 
of  priestly  portraits  of  Toji,  is  the  faded  colored  silk 
kakemono,  illustrated  in  Figure  190.  It  represents  the 
priest  Gonso  (758-827),  Abbot  of  the  Todaiji,  Nara,  and 
an  early  instructor  of  Kobo  Daishi.  This  splendid  like- 
ness of  the  aged  teacher  presents  him  as  in  the  act  of  ex- 

•o  The  life  of  Kobo  Daishi  is  summarized  under  TOji,  KySto. 

271 


K6YASAN 

pounding  the  mystic  formulae  of  Tantra,  which  he  so 
dearly  loved.  There  is  so  much  in  this  age-stained  por- 
trait that  recalls  the  Todaiji  series  that  one  is  almost 
tempted  to  see  in  it  an  original  work  of  Chen  Hui  or  Kobo 
Daishi.  At  any  rate,  here  is  an  example  of  portrait-paint- 
ing so  closely  allied  to  the  T'ang  ideal,  that  in  company 
with  the  Todaiji  series,  it  may  well  be  said  to  represent  it. 

But  Koyasan's  grandest  pictorial  treasures  are  the  three 
parts  of  a  grand  whole, — the  great  Amida  and  Bodhisat- 
tva  of  Genshin,  or  more  popularly,  Eshin  Sozu,  Figure 
191.  Painted  in  the  year  965,  when  the  artist-sculptor 
was  but  twenty-four  years  of  age,  this  famous  conception 
of  Old  Jodo  Buddhism  originally  belonged  to  a  temple  of 
Hieizan,  above  Kyoto.  During  the  war  of  Genki  (1570- 
1572),  when  the  Hieizan  Monasteries  were  burned,  the 
paintings  vanished,  but  eventually  turned  up  at  Koyasan. 
The  artist,  Eshin  Sozu,  was  born  in  the  year  942.  He 
early  studied  for  the  priesthood,  his  novitiate  being  com- 
pleted in  one  of  the  monasteries  of  Hieizan.  Of  Eshin's 
new  religious  convictions  and  its  corollary,  the  develop- 
ment of  a  new  art  type,  Fenollosa  has  this  to  say : 51  "The 
complicated  and  expensive  ritual  of  the  dominant  Bud- 
dhist sects,  and  the  growing  worldliness  and  ambition  of 
Enriakuji(the  Mount  Hiei  Monastery,  Kyoto),  led  in  the 
early  eleventh  century  to  several  attempts  at  simplifying 
the  religion  —  making  it  more  popular,  bringing  it  home 
to  the  hearts  of  all  men. 

This  was  the  work  of  several  Tendai  priests  like 
Eikwan,  who  started  the  movement  to  make  the  worship 
of  Amida  dominant,  a  movement  which  eventually  be- 

&i  Fenollosa,  Ernest  F.,  "  Epochs  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art."  Vol.  I; 
p.  163. 

272 


Fig.  215.  The  Taimen-no-ma 
which  contains  Superb  Wall  Paint- 
ings by  Kano  Eitoko,  1543-1590. 
Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon    Seikwa." 


Fig.  213.  Karamon  or  Chinese 
Gate.  From  Momoyama  Castle. 
Erected  1593.  Now  at  the  Nishi- 
Hongwanji,  Kyoto. 

"Nippon   Seikwa." 


Fig.   214.      Painting   in    Colours   on   Gold   Fusuma.     Boar   and    Stag   Hunt 
By  Kimura  Sanraku,    1558-1635.  Nishi-Hongwanji,   KySto 


Fig.  216.     Painting  in   Sumi   and  Light  Colours  on   One  of  a  Pair  of   Six- 
Fold  Screens.     Hawks  in  the  tines.     By  Kimura  Sanraku,  1558-1635. 

Nishi-Hongwanji,   Ky6to. 


Fig.  220.  Great  Avenue  of 
Cryptomeric  Leading  to  Nikko. 
Planted  by  the  Daimyo  Matsudaira 
in  1650. 

Photograph   lay   the    Author. 


Fig.  219.  Painting  in 
Colours  on  Silk.  White 
Herons  and  Willows.  By 
Chang  Chung-mu  (13th 
Century).  Nishi-Hong- 
wanji,  Kyoto. 

Tajima, 
"Selected  Relics." 


Fig.  217.  Painting  in  Colours  on  a  Six-Fold 
Screen  (One  of  a  Pair).  Eagle,  Heron  and 
Vulture.  By  Kimura  Sanraku,  1558-1635. 

Nishi-Hongwanji,   Kyoto. 


Fig.   218.      Detail  from   the   Illustrations   to   the   Novel    "Sagoromo   Mono- 
gatari."      Attributed   to    Tosa    Mitsuoki,    1617-1691. 

Nishi-Hongwanji,  Kyoto. 


KONG6BftjI 

came  a  separate  organization  in  the  Jodo  (free  land)  sect. 
The  paradise  of  Amida  was  no  new  thing  in  either 
China  or  Japan.  The  whole  miracle  play  of  Taima- 
dera  had  been  based  upon  it  in  the  Nara  days.  But 
earlier  representations  had  been  woven  or  painted  in  elab- 
orate colors  only.  Now  the  mystic  vision  of  the  reform- 
ers wished  to  discard  the  elaborate  rituals  of  Fudo  and 
Kwannon  and  focus  all  force  into  the  invocation  of  the 
central  Amida,  the  Buddha  of  Boundless  Light,  who  was 
seen  in  ecstasy  as  a  form  of  dazzling  light,  surrounded  by 
a  gorgeous  company  of  Bosatsu  all  equally  luminous. 
Such  light, —  curiously  like  what  the  Neo-Platonists  of 
Alexandria  say  of  the  luminosity  of  their  vision  —  was  too 
intense  for  color ;  nothing  but  the  splendour  of  gold  could 
suggest  it  —  gold,  not  only  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  draper- 
ies, down  to  the  last  detail  of  pattern.  The  movement 
was  only  an  intensifying  of  the  mysterious  tendencies  of 
the  age ;  but  it  led  to  something  of  a  new  departure  in  art. 
The  growing  effeminacy  of  T'ang  line  could  now  be 
erected  into  a  new  Kwannon;  for  brushwork  cannot 
thicken  freely  lines  made  with  gold  paint.  Moreover,  the 
method  was  rather  of  applying  the  gold  in  finely  cut  strips 
by  glue,  or  painting  fine  lines  in  blue,  and  affixing  the 
gold-leaf.  The  figures  were  to  be  rendered  more  wor- 
shipful by  an  incredible  suggestion  of  delicacy,  rather 
than  of  power  through  delineating.  It  was  in  some  sense 
a  return  to  suggestions  of  the  fine-line  gold  mandara  fig- 
ures of  early  T'ang ;  but  those  had  always  been  done  with 
a  brush  filled  with  gold  pigment,  and  were  hardly  more 
than  mere  outlines.  In  another  sense,  it  was  a  kind  of 
return  to  the  delicate  hair-lines  of  Nara  painting.  In  any 
case,  it  was  a  distinct  reaction  against  the  alien  Chinese 

273 


K6YASAN 

feeling  of  early  Fuji  war  a,  a  mixing  of  national  elements, 
a  school  of  real  Japanese  art  arising  at  this  end  of  the 
Fuji  war  a  regime." 

As  Kobo  Daishi's  T'ang  paintings  brought  about  a 
revolution  in  art  matters  at  home,  so  Eshin's  free  use  of 
cut  gold-leaf  marked  another  episode  in  the  fortunes  of 
Buddhist  art  in  Japan.  Indeed,  some  critics  will  have  it, 
that  the  use  of  gold-leaf  in  Buddhist  painting  originated 
with  Eshin  Sozu.  Gold-leaf  in  the  realm  of  sculpture 
dates  from  a  far  earlier  epoch,  as  witness,  Dr.  Stein's  re- 
cent discoveries  in  the  ruins  of  Khotan,  not  to  mention 
its  use  in  the  clay,  wood  and  lacquer  figures  of  the  First 
Nara  Epoch  (early  8th  century)  in  Japan.  But  to  re- 
vert to  Eshin's  paintings  again.  This  gifted  artist  seems 
to  have  been  the  first  to  paint  such  purely  Old  Jodo  sect 
designs  as  that  of  the  "  Welcoming  Amida."  In  appear- 
ance, as  in  Eshin's  painting  now  under  discussion,  Amida 
may  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  Shaka.  He  is  seated 
in  the  hieratic  pose,  or  standing  in  the  heart  of  an  open 
lotus,  surrounded  by  the  twenty-five  musician  attendants, 
who  are  commonly  represented  as  floating  in  the  clouds 
about  and  beside  him.  Each  and  every  one  of  Eshin's 
subjects  indeed  evince  a  rarely  sublime  harmony  of  re- 
ligious feeling. 

To  the  Kose  School  of  the  ninth-tenth  centuries  may  be 
ascribed  the  sadly  damaged  figure  in  colors  on  silk,  illus- 
trated in  Figure  192.  It  represents  the  Guardian  of  the 
North,  Bishamon,  one  of  the  Shi-Tenno,  or  Four 
Heavenly  Kings,  who  are  supposed  to  protect  the  four 
quarters  of  the  horizon  from  malignant  demons  that 
would  pervert  or  harm  the  faithful.  Here  again  is  strong 
T'ang  influence,  though  details  here  and  there  prove  that 

274 


KONGOBttjI 

native  genius  is  already  making  itself  felt.  Again,  Koya- 
san  possesses  a  unique  treasure  in  the  great  painting  rep- 
resenting Shaka's  Entrance  into  Nirvana.  This  large 
work  —  which  measures  nearly  nine  feet  by  nine  —  is 
painted  in  colors  on  silk,  and  shows  the  death  of  Guatama, 
as  he  lay  surrounded  by  his  weeping  disciples,  and  a 
naively  grief-stricken  host  representing  all  the  creatures 
that  inhabit  the  earth  and  sky.  In  the  clouds  to  the  right, 
above  the  trees,  Mara,  his  mother,  and  attendants  de- 
scend from  Paradise  to  welcome  him.  The  grouping  is 
well  conceived;  the  background  of  dense  forest  trees  a 
most  happy  one.  The  sharp  contrast  between  the  peace- 
ful expression,  one  might  almost  say  expressionless  ex- 
pression, of  the  dying  Buddha  and  that  of  the  violently 
contorted  forms  and  lachrymosely  grimacing  features  of 
Vajrapani,  is  quite  in  keeping  with  the  Oriental  concep- 
tion of  the  scene.  And  yet  the  Oriental  is  not  the  only 
one  to  be  at  a  loss  at  such  a  juncture.  How  often,  in 
Western  paintings  of  the  trecento,  do  we  come  across 
the  most  artless  renderings  of  grief  and  despair?  In- 
deed, representations  of  many  of  the  most  solemn  mo- 
ments in  the  life  of  Christ  are  executed  in  a  manner  so 
primitive  that  they  appear  at  times  to  border  upon  the 
serio-comic.  At  any  rate,  judging  by  the  many  similar 
"  Nirvanas "  we  possess  today,  this  conception  of  the 
Buddha's  last  moments  influenced  a  long  line  of  Buddhist 
artists,  both  professional  and  lay.  The  painting  in  ques- 
tion was  executed  by  one  Hinoye  Tora,  and  the  work  is 
dated  in  the  third  year  of  6toku  (1086). 

Again,  there  is  the  so-called  Nagaraja,  Figure   193, 
which  illustrates  a  sutra  in  regard  to  Ryuo,  daughter  of 
the  Serpent  King  (Nagaraja),  who  is  said  to  have  pre- 
275 


KOYASAN 

sented  all  her  father's  jewels  to  the  Buddha.  It  is  exe- 
cuted in  colors  on  silk,  and  shows  a  male  figure  with  high 
cap  and  voluminous  robes,  riding  upon  the  clouds  and 
carefully  supporting  the  jewels  contained  within  a  shal- 
low bowl,  which  he  holds  before  him.  The  painting  bears 
a  legend  which  would  ascribe  it  to  the  priestly  artist, 
Jochi,  with  Chinkai  and  Toba,  one  of  the  most  eminent 
Buddhist  artists  of  the  Late  Fujiwara  Period  (1072-1155). 
From  the  Y6chi-in  comes  the  splendid  group  of  Yaku- 
shi,  Surya,  Chandra,  and  the  twelve  Deva  Kings,  illus- 
trated in  Figure  194.  This  painting,  bright  with  colors 
and  gold-leaf,  is  traditionally  attributed  to  the  priestly 
artist,  Eshin  Sozu  (d.  1017).  Though  it  may  not  be  a 
veritable  work  of  the  great  abbot,  it  is  certainly  a  produc- 
tion of  about  his  day  and  generation.  It  may,  indeed, 
have  been  produced  by  an  artist  of  Late  Fujiwara  days 
(nth  century)  working  in  the  brilliant  manner  of  Eshin. 
In  sharp  contrast  to  this  calm  group  is  Gwangyo's  ter- 
rific conception  of  Fudo,  Figure  195.  Here  is  one  of 
those  superdiabolic  demons,  which  the  whole  line  of 
Kamakura  sculptors  loved  so  well  to  carve.  We  can 
well  credit  the  attribution  to  Gwangyo  (d.  1295)  since  his 
date  coincides  with  the  later  artists  of  the  ftnkei  School, 
in  whose  style  of  work  the  figure  is  executed.  It  belongs 
to  a  dependency  of  the  Kongobuji.  The  pair  of  paint- 
ings indicated  in  Figures  196  and  197  represent  kake- 
mono in  colors  on  silk,  in  which  are  depicted  somewhat 
naive  portraits  of  two  minor  deities  connected  with  the 
history  of  Mount  Koya.  In  one  we  see  the  goddess  Nibu, 
through  whom  Kobo  Daishi  received  a  grant  from  the 
Emperor  Saga  of  10,000  cho  of  land  upon  this  mountain. 
The  other  portrait  is  that  of  the  hunter,  Kariba  Myojin,  a 

276 


KONG6BOJI 

sort  of  spirit  of  the  mountain,  who  vowed  to  assist  and 
protect  both  him  and  his  monastery.  The  author  of  the 
paintings  is  not  known,  but  they  are  to  be  attributed  to 
the  Tosa  School  of  the  Late  Kamakura  Epoch  (i4th  cen- 
tury). Somewhat  earlier  perhaps  is  the  remarkable 
painting  of  Maha-vairocana,  or  rather  of  Kobo  Daishi 
after  his  transformation  into  that  Buddha.  For  the  saint 
is  said  to  have  so  transformed  himself  that  he  might  prove 
to  the  Emperor  Saga  his  statement  that  one  could  attain 
to  Buddhahood  while  still  living.  This  painting,  Figure 
198,  is  perhaps  to  be  attributed  to  the  Early  Kamakura 
Period  (i2th-i3th  centuries).  It  is  a  most  beautiful  work 
of  art,  and,  naturally,  one  of  the  rarest  of  all  the  treasures 
of  Koya.  It  is  seen  but  once  a  year  and  then  only  by  the 
officiating  priest  of  the  Zenju-in.  Tradition  would  have 
us  believe  that  it  was  painted  by  Kobo  Daishi  himself, 
and  perhaps  we  are  to  understand  from  this  that  such  a 
painting  by  the  Daishi  did  originally  hang  in  the  ancient 
shrine,  though  this  is  but  a  copy.  However,  there  is  lit- 
tle of  the  T'ang  style  of  Kobo  Daishi's  day  in  the  suave 
and  rounded  figure,  and  it  is  far  more  likely  a  work  of  one 
of  the  Kasuga  artists  of  about  the  eleventh  to  twelfth 
centuries. 

Among  the  innumerable  screens  preserved  in  Kobo 
Daishi's  monastery  we  can  but  refer  to  two.  In  the 
H6ki-in  are  preserved  a  pair  of  magnificent  six-fold 
screens  by  Chokuan  Soga,  the  famous  painter  of  hawks, 
who  flourished  about  the  Keicho  Era  (1596-1614).  Cho- 
kuan's  fowl  and  flowers,  Figure  199,  are  not  the  garish 
productions  of  Jakuchu,  but  charmingly  naturalistic  crea- 
tions done  in  rich  yet  subdued  colors  with  a  brilliancy  of 
execution  and  a  dark  richness  of  effect  that  are  well-nigh 

277 


KOYASAN 

indescribable.  The  beautiful  tone  of  this  composition, 
the  brilliant  spacing  and  the  swift  but  assured  technique 
would  of  themselves  be  sufficient  to  elevate  Chokuan 
Soga  to  a  high  place  among  the  many  eminent  decorative 
artists  of  the  Toyotomi  Period  (1573-1602).  In  sharp 
contrast  to  this  gorgeous  design  is  Toyeki's  landscape, 
Figure  200,  a  paper  screen  decorated  in  monochrome  ink 
and  but  slightly  relieved  by  the  addition  of  a  hint  of  soft 
wash-color.  In  this  late  example  of  the  art  of  Sesshu's 
Unkoku  School  there  is  little  hint  of  the  lofty  conception 
and  vigorous  brush-work  of  its  great  founder,  Sesshu. 
Though  Toyeki  could  truthfully  sign  himself  "  fourth  in 
descent  from  the  Unkoku  School'*  there  is  little  to  com- 
mend him.  Indeed,  his  art  but  serves  to  show  how  rapid 
has  been  the  decay  in  ideal  and  execution  among  the  fol- 
lowers of  one  of  the  greatest  of  Japanese  landscapists. 

These  treasures  we  saw  in  the  Plum-tree  Chamber,  a 
delightful  little  room  decorated  with  fusuma  designs  by 
the  "  second  founder  "  of  the  Kano  School,  Tannyu  Mori- 
nobu.  Next  to  it  is  the  equally  charming  Chamber  of  the 
Willow,  in  which  the  same  artist  has  left  a  beautiful  series 
of  sketches  done  in  his  softest  and  most  poetic  manner. 
In  this  room  Hidetsugu,  nephew  of  the  Taiko,  committed 
hara-kiri  and  the  room  has  been  kept  ever  since  as  he  left 
it. 

The  Kondo  or  Golden  Hall  consists  of  three  shrines, 
one  within  the  other.  To  reach  it  one  must  pass  beneath 
the  well  carved  wooden  gate,  which  fronts  the  giant 
Kongobuji —  some  210  feet  in  length  —  and  turning  to 
the  right  pass  on  to  a  group  of  temple  buildings  today 
well-nigh  hidden  in  a  grove  of  great  pines  and  other  coni- 
fers. The  tallest  of  these  great  wooden  structures,  that 

278 


KONG6BUJI 

to  the  left,  is  the  Kondo ;  the  smaller  building  to  the  right 
is  the  unimportant  Daiyeido,  and  the  low,  gray-roofed 
temple  beyond  is  the  Mieido. 

Though  of  recent  date  (1852)  the  interior  of  the  Kondo 
is  well  worth  seeing,  as  it  is  ornamented  with  some  of  the 
most  remarkable  paintings,  shell-inlays,  and  wood  carv- 
ings to  be  seen  in  any  Japanese  temple,  whether  ancient 
or  modern.  In  size  alone,  the  carved  wood  panels  are  un- 
matched by  anything  of  the  same  nature,  whether  at 
Nikko,  Uyeno  or  Shiba.  One  set  of  these  panels — that" 
with  a  design  of  Buddhist  angels  in  mid-air  —  some  four- 
teen panels  in  all,  are  as  much  as  nine  feet  in  length  and 
four  in  height.  To  reach  the  sanctuary  itself,  we  hurry 
past  a  series  of  wretchedly  painted  rakan  by  Nakagawa. 
Suddenly  we  pause  as  our  eyes  wander  among  the  giant 
shafts  of  twenty-six  stupendous  gilt  &eya&/-columns. 
These  serve  to  support  a  brilliantly  painted  ceiling  and 
richly  painted  and  gilt  canopy.  Near  by  are  seated  a  se- 
ries of  seated  statues,  six  of  the  sculptural  treasures  of 
Koya.  The  figures  guard  an  especially  revered  gilt  image 
of  Yakushi  some  sixteen  feet  in  height.  This  temple 
tradition  would  attribute  to  Kobo  Daishi's  own  hands, 
though  it  appears  to  be  far  more  likely  a  production  of 
Jocho  or  his  school  (nth  century).  Of  the  series 
the  most  beautiful  is  the  statue  of  Kokuzo  (extreme 
left).  The  statues  were  originally  colored,  but  little  trace 
of  pigment  is  now  visible  upon  their  sadly  blackened 
forms.  They  are  said  to  be  all  that  was  saved  from  the 
original  temple  which  stood  here,  and  no  doubt  date  from 
the  Early  Kamakura  Period  (i2th-isth  centuries).  One 
is  tempted,  indeed,  to  assign  them  to  the  founder  of  the 
school,  Crnkei  himself. 

279 


KOYASAN 

The  near-by  Mieido,  guarded  by  its  rare  old  pine  tree, 
can  provide  one  with  an  aesthetic  feast.  Here  the  courte- 
ous priest  in  charge  allowed  us  to  take  into  our  hands  the 
precious  little  reliquary,  illustrated  in  Figure  201.  This 
is  said  to  have  been  one  of  the  artistic  treasures  brought 
back  by  Kobo  Daishi  from  China  early  in  the  ninth  cen- 
tury, and  to  all  appearances  it  may  indeed  be  of  T'ang 
date.  Attributed  again  to  the  hand  of  the  Daishi  is  the 
smaller  shrine,  called  "  pillow  saint "  shrine,  Figure  202, 
an  exquisitely  carved  sandalwood  reliquary  containing  a 
charming  high-relief  figure  of  Monju,  seated  sideways 
upon  the  back  of  a  lion,  and  guarded  by  his  four  attend- 
ants. We  can  see  at  a  glance  that  there  is  something 
wrong  with  the  latter  attribution  at  least.  It  may  be 
that  we  should  see  in  the  Monju  shrine  an  example  of 
wood-carving  of  the  twelfth  century;  of  the  T'ang-influ- 
enced,  though  already  untrammeled  style  of  such  an  art- 
ist as  Jocho,  say.  Here  again,  we  saw  a  rough  little  fig- 
ure of  Jizo,  similarity  attributed  to  Kobo  Daishi  and  said 
to  have  been  carved  by  him  at  the  tender  age  of  seven. 
And  here  literally  heaped  about  the  room  were  innumer- 
able ancient  paintings  and  calligraphic  treasures.  To  cer- 
tain of  the  former  we  have  already  referred.  Among  the 
latter  we  saw  the  Emperor  Saga's  original  grant  of  seven 
miles  of  land  on  and  about  Mount  Koya.  And  here  too 
we  saw  certain  of  those  eight  thousand  volumes  of  the 
Buddhist  scriptures,  which  form  one  of  the  most  precious 
possessions  of  the  temple.  The  tomes  are  written  in  let- 
ters of  gold  and  silver,  and  are  valued  at  some  $250,000. 
Best  of  the  eight  attendants  of  Fudo  is  the  painted-wood 
statue  of  Kinkara,  Figure  204,  an  image  some  three  feet  in 
height,  attributed  again  to  the  master-sculptor,  ftnkei 

280 


KONGOBtfjI 

(i2th  century).  The  whole  group  of  eight  figures  has 
recently  been  removed  for  safe-keeping  to  the  Imperial 
Museum,  Kyoto. 

Figure  205  shows  one  of  the  rarest  treasures  of  Koya, 
a  gold  and  silver  lacquered  box,  inlaid  with  metal  and 
mother-of-pearl.  It  is  perhaps  the  rarest  example  of  early 
makiye  now  extant.  It  is  treated  in  the  togi-dashi  style 
of  lacquer  work,  which  has  been  explained  by  the  late 
Captain  Brinkley  as  lacquer  in  which  "  the  pictorial  de- 
sign is  brought  out  by  repeated  processes  of  rubbing,  so 
that  all  outlines  disappear,  and  the  decoration  seems  to 
float  in  a  field  of  semi-translucent  lacquer."  The  un- 
known artist  has  added  one  more  delicate  touch  to  this 
charming  design  by  scattering  a  well-nigh  imperceptible 
film  of  powdered  gold-dust  over  the  whole,  and  adding 
birds  and  marsh-flowers  in  mother-of-pearl  inlay.  The 
inner  tray  is  decorated  with  floral  arabesques  in  mother- 
of-pearl  and  circular  openwork  floral  medallions  in  gilt- 
bronze.  In  date,  this  box  should  be  assigned  to  the 
Fujiwara  Period  (1072-1155),  though  tradition  would 
ascribe  it  to  Kobo  Daishi,  who  is  popularly  supposed  to 
have  brought  it  from  China  early  in  the  ninth  century. 

In  the  great  Kanjodo  are  at  least  two  good  pieces  of 
sculpture,  and  a  number  of  remarkable  paintings  of  com- 
paratively late  date.  These  last  comprise  numerous 
sliding-screens.  Its  main  deity  is  a  charming  little  gilt 
Amida,  an  incense-stained  figure,  whose  pose  is  expres- 
sive of  the  utmost  tenderness  and  yearning.  It  is  said  to 
be  the  work  of  Jocho  (d.  1053)  whose  art  reveals  the  in- 
fluence of  Eshin  and  the  Old  Jodo  sect  of  Buddhism,  to 
whom  Amida  was  all  in  all.  Here  again,  is  a  natural- 
istic statue  of  Hatsuka  Daishi,  one  of  the  instructors  of 

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KOYASAN 

Kobo  Daishi.  After  these,  paintings  follow  one  another 
in  bewildering  confusion ;  paintings  on  doors,  on  screens, 
on  fusuma,  until  the  eye  and  brain  are  wearied  with  the 
seemingly  never-ending  succession. 

Yet  we  cannot  forget  an  exquisite  fusuma  ascribed  to 
Kano  Tannyu  (1602-1674),  a  screen  on  which  that  ver- 
satile and  prolific  artist  has  depicted  a  charmingly  poetic 
conception  of  winter  and  early  spring  landscape.  We  see 
a  group  of  pure-white  cranes,  marvels  of  downy  softness, 
huddled  close  together  upon  the  snow-laden  bough  of  a 
budding  plum  tree.  In  contrast,  the  companion  painting 
shows  a  misty  moon,  seen  through  the  silhouetted 
branches  of  the  same  plum  tree  in  full  blossom.  Upon  its 
top-most  branch,  a  tiny  bird  sings  joyously.  We  are 
almost  tempted  to  believe  that  Tannyu  has  here  depicted 
that  mystic  bird  of  Koya,  which  is  popularly  believed  to 
cry  "  Bu-Po-So  "  or  "  Buddha-Law-Church."  Near  these 
two  panels  we  may  enjoy  a  good  piece  of  bronze  casting, 
a  small  Nirvana.  As  if  rudely  bent  upon  disturbing  the 
last  moments  of  the  Buddha,  a  gigantic  and  ferocious 
shishi  howls  and  rages  upon  a  screen  immediately  op- 
posite. This  painting  too  is  attributed  to  Kano  Tannyu 
(i7th  century). 

The  6kush6-in  near  by  contains  four  rooms  well 
worthy  of  a  pilgrimage  in  themselves,  as  possessing  a 
splendid  series  of  monochrome  paintings  on  fusuma  by 
an  artist  of  the  Sesshu  School.  In  these  numerous  panels 
we  may  follow  him  in  all  phases  of  his  skill ;  in  landscape, 
in  bird  and  animal  life,  and  in  figure  designs.  A  family  of 
bright-eyed  monkeys,  staring  wonderingly  at  a  group  of 
withered  and  monkey-faced  sages,  proves  the  unknown 
painter  was  not  without  a  sense  of  humour.  Adjacent  to 

282 


KONGOBtfjI 

these  four  rooms  is  a  little  chamber  decorated  with 
fusuma  covered  with  monochrome  paintings  by  Kano 
Tansei,  at  his  best.  Here  is  a  brilliant  little  series  of 
landscapes  worked  in  rapidly  in  two  shades  of  ink,  yet 
with  the  utmost  fidelity  to  nature.  The  panels  are  en- 
riched by  a  background  of  powdered  gold-leaf. 

One  will,  of  course,  visit  the  famous  cemetery  with  its 
gigantic  cryptomeria  and  innumerable  monuments  to 
many  distinguished  men  both  ancient  and  modern.  Pass- 
ing through  the  long  Avenue  of  Tombstones,  we  reach 
the  Torodo,  or  "  Hall  of  Ten  Thousand  Lamps."  Here 
among  others  is  the  Widow's  Mite  Lamp,  and  that  lit  by 
the  Emperor  Shirakawa  in  1023,  which  has  never  been  ex- 
tinguished. Near  this  building  stands  the  octagonal  Hall 
of  Bones,  a  building  constructed  by  the  Emperor  Sutoku 
early  in  the  twelfth  century.  In  its  innermost  shrine  is 
the  tomb  of  Kobo  Daishi  himself,  which  is  never  opened 
save  once  a  year,  when  new  vestments  are  placed  upon 
the  body  of  the  saint. 

Koyasan  is  best  seen  during  the  month  of  May,  when 
many  blossoming  shrubs  and  flowers  charm  the  eye.  At 
this  time  one  may  enjoy  the  feathery  white  tsuji,  the 
pale  blue  or  white  clematis,  the  golden  yellow  honey- 
suckle, the  salmon-pink  azalea,  or  lavender  rhododen- 
dron. And  here  again  one  hears  the  nightingale,  whose 
song  echoes  and  re-echoes  through  the  woods  until  in 
the  plains  below  it  is  taken  up  by  his  only  rival,  the  lark. 


283 


NIKK6 


SHRINES    OF    TOKUGAWA    IEYASU    AND 
IEMITSU 

"Do    not    say   Magnificent 
Before  you  see  Nikko." 

— Local  saying. 

FOUNDED  by  Shodo  Shonin,  735-817,  the  little  vil- 
lage of  Nikko-machi  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  volcanic 
Nikko-zan  range  of  mountains  which  stretch  along  the 
northwest  border  of  the  Province  of  Shimotsuke.  Orig- 
inally called  Niko-zan  or  "  roaring  wind-swept  moun- 
tains," its  name  was  changed  by  Kobo  Daishi  to  Nikko- 
zan  or  "  mountains  of  the  Sun's  brightness,"  whereupon 
the  storms  ceased  to  rage  among  its  valleys  and  it  became 
the  picturesque  little  Sleepy  Hollow  of  today. 

It  is  justly  celebrated  for  its  wonderful  avenues  of  giant 
cryptomerias,  Figure  220 ;  for  its  tree-embowered  temples 
and  for  the  small  but  sumptuous  mortuary-temples  of  the 
two  most  famous  members  of  the  Tokugawa  family. 

On  our  way  to  the  Mausoleum  of  leyasu,  we  cross  the 
modern  bridge  which  now  spans  the  turbulent  little 
Daiyagawa  and  pause  before  the  Mihasi  or  "  Sacred  Red 
Bridge,"  whose  bold  red  curve  hurls  itself  from  one  rocky 
bank  to  the  other,  a  few  hundred  paces  further  north.  It 
is  said  to  mark  the  spot  where  Shodo  Shonin  crossed  the 
river  on  his  memorable  attempt  to  climb  Nantaizan,  and 
here  formerly  stood  his  Shrine  to  Jinja  Daio,  the  Great 
King  of  the  Deep  Sand.  The  original  bridge,  erected  in 
1638,  was  of  wood  covered  with  a  thick  coat  of  brilliant 

287 


NIKK6 

red  lacquer.  It  was  closed  to  all  persons  except  the  Sho- 
gun,  save  twice  a  year  when  pilgrims  might  cross  it.  It 
stood  intact  until  swept  away  by  the  great  flood  of  1902. 
As  to  its  original  appearance  we  still  have  Kano  Tannyu's 
sketch,  Figure  221,  a  design  taken  from  his  five-colored 
makimono  executed  in  1636,  and  illustrating  various  in- 
cidents in  the  life  of  leyasu. 

Continuing  on  up  the  hill  to  the  right  we  soon  reach 
the  Sambutsu-do  or  "  Hall  of  the  Three  Buddhas."  This 
is  a  large  two-storied  wooden  structure  built  some  twen- 
ty-five years  ago  and  richly  embellished  with  red  lacquer. 
Within  are  seated  three  colossal  gilt  wood  statues  which 
give  the  temple  its  name.  The  three  main  figures  are 
surrounded  by  those  of  lesser  divinities;  they  represent 
Senju  Kwannon  (right),  Amida  (center)  and  Bato  Kwan- 
non  (left),  and  seem  to  date  from  the  sixteenth  to  the  sev- 
enteenth centuries.  In  the  aisle  to  the  left  is  seen  a  memo- 
rial statuette  of  the  founder  of  Nikko,  Shodo  Shonin,  and, 
against  the  right  wall,  a  large  mandara-painting  repre- 
senting Dainichi,  god  of  wisdom  and  personification  of 
purity,  surrounded  by  the  figures  of  thirty-six  minor  dei- 
ties. Behind  the  temple  stands  a  line  of  hideous  little 
wood  statues.  Of  these  Fudo —  painted  with  a  bright 
blue  body,  red  hair  and  white  mouth;  Ijanaten  repre- 
sented with  green  face  and  limbs,  and  Suiten  —  with  his 
contorted  body  and  hideous  blue  face,  are  ghastly  ex- 
amples of  demoniac  horror. 

Near  by  stands  the  Shoro,  whose  deep  and  mellow  bell 
still  marks  the  hours  from  sunrise  to  sunset.  Close  to 
the  Shoro  rises  the  black  copper  column  of  the  Sorinto. 
Originally  erected  (1644)  near  the  tomb  of  leyasu,  it 
was  removed  to  this  spot  in  1650.  The  two  fine  bronze 

288 


5365 


£|  s 

- 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

lanterns  were  presented  by  merchants  of  Tokyo,  6saka 
and  Nagasaki  in  1648. 

Somewhat  nearer  leyasu's  temple,  a  short  lane  (right) 
brings  us  to  a  flight  of  steps  and  a  great  bronze  torii. 
Near  by  stands  the  Kariden  or  Temporary  Shrine,  a 
long,  low,  wooden  structure  richly  embellished  with 
bright  red  and  black  lacquer.  The  carved  and  painted 
openwork  panels  of  the  interior  are  richly  ornamented 
with  late  Kano  School  floral,  bird  and  animal  designs. 
The  vines  are  especially  admired. 

The  several  courts  which  conduct  to  the  Kara-mon  are 
approached  by  a  broad  path  over  which  gigantic  crypto- 
merias  cast  their  shade.  The  First  Court  is  reached  by 
passing  beneath  a  huge  granite  torii  erected  by  the 
Daimyo  of  Chikuzen  in  1618.  Above  this  Forecourt 
towers  a  five-storied  Pagoda,  a  graceful  and  richly  painted 
building  which  rises  a  hundred  and  four  feet  into  the  air. 
Its  dimensions  enable  us  to  appreciate  the  majestic  cryp- 
tomerias  which  surround  both  it  and  the  temple  site. 
This  structure  dates  from  1659,  and  is  of  peculiar  con- 
struction. In  order  to  guard  it  from  the  dangers  of  earth- 
quakes, it  is  built  around  a  great  central  shaft  and 
is  further  braced  by  means  of  supporting  poles  at 
each  corner.  These  supports  are  not  sunk  in  the  ground 
but  rest  in  the  hollow  cups  of  flat  stones.  Inside,  upon  a 
red  lacquered  dais,  sit  weak  seventeenth  century  gilt- 
wood  statues  of  Yakushi,  Shaka,  Dainichi  and  Ashuku 
Nyorai.  The  panelled  ceiling  painted  with  chrysanthe- 
mums on  a  white  ground  and  the  splendid  gilt  red-lacquer 
columns  of  the  five  inner  columns  are  well  worth  seeing. 
From  the  Pagoda  a  short  flight  of  steps  conducts  to  the 
rather  ponderous  Nio-mon.  Passing  through  we  are 

289 


NIKKO 

confronted  by  three  richly  ornamented  red  buildings 
now  used  as  storerooms.  These  have  many  elaborately 
carved  and  painted  details  done  from  original  designs 
submitted  by  Kano  Tannyu  and  his  pupils.  The  great 
koyamaki  tree  surrounded  by  a  stone  railing  is  said  to 
have  been  carried  about  in  a  pot  by  the  Shogun  lyeyasu 
himself.  The  near-by  building  was  formerly  the  stable 
for  the  Prince  Kitashira-kawa's  horse,  whose  Imperial 
master  met  his  death  while  acting  as  Commander  in  Chief 
of  the  Japanese  troops  in  Formosa,  1895.  The  building 
is  now  a  storehouse.  It  is  constructed  of  square  beams 
of  plain  wood  which  rest  on  stone  slabs.  Its  sloping 
roof,  like  all  the  Nikko  roofs,  is  of  copper  gilt  while  its 
simple  ornamentation  consists  of  small  painted  panels  of 
openwork  wood-carving  representing  red  and  white  peo- 
nies and  a  group  of  three  brown  and  white  monkeys  (Fig- 
ure 222).  Of  these  the  one  closing  its  eyes  with  its  hands 
is  called  "  Mizaru  "  or  "  See  no  evil  " ;  the  other  closing 
its  ears  with  its  hands,  "  Kikazaru  "  or  "  Hear  no  evil  " ; 
and  the  last  represented  as  closing  its  mouth  with  its 
hands,  "  Iwazaru  "  or  "  Speak  no  evil."  The  charming 
little  Chodzuya  or  Cistern,  Figure  223,  dates  from  1618 
when  it  was  brought  to  this  spot  at  the  expense  of  the 
Daimyo  of  Nabeshima.  It  is  formed  of  a  solid  block  of 
granite,  and  so  constructed  that  the  crystal  water  of  the 
beautiful  Somen  Falls  flows  into  it  in  equal  quantities. 
Thus,  it  is  always  perfectly  level  with  the  upper  edge  of 
the  stone.  The  designs  of  its  richly  painted  upper  pan- 
els are  in  harmony  with  the  cistern  itself,  for  swirling 
waters  and  dragons  among  waves  seem  ready  to  shake 
its  gilt  copper  roof  from  its  place. 
Another  good  example  of  seventeenth  century  wood- 

290 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

work  is  found  in  the  near-by  Rinzo  or  Library  with  its 
great  red  bookcase  and  gorgeously  painted  columns,  and 
carved  and  painted  panels.  Here,  seated  in  magnificent 
robes,  sits  the  solemn  old  Chinese  inventor  of  the  revolv- 
ing bookcase,  Fudaishi,  and  his  obstreperous  sons,  Fuken 
and  Fujo. 

A  short  flight  of  stone  steps  leads  from  the  First  to  the 
Second  Court,  Figure  224.  Here,  beside  the  entrance,  we 
may  remark  the  famous  lions  called  T6bikoye-n6-Shishi, 
two  comically  fierce  little  animals  not  in  the  least  leonine, 
who  are  said  to  have  been  presented  by  the  third  Toku- 
j^awa  Shogun,  lemitsu.  In  this  court  is  a  Drum  and 
Bell  Tower,  the  latter  containing  the  "  moth-eaten  bell," 
so  called  on  account  of  the  hole  in  the  upper  part,  and 
presented  by  the  King  of  Korea  in  1642.  Near  by  is  a 
large  bronze  candelabrum  presented  by  a  King  of  the 
Luchu  Islands  and  two  iron  lanterns,  the  latter  on  the 
right  of  the  steps  leading  to  the  court.  They  bear  the 
date  1641  and  were  presented  by  Date  Masamune,  that 
famous  Daimyo  of  Sendai,  who  in  1614  despatched  an 
embassy  to  Rome  and  the  King  of  Spain.  The  great 
candelabrum,  standing  near  by  in  a  revolving  stand,  is  a 
good  example  of  Dutch  metalwork  of  the  seventeenth 
century. 

Behind  the  Drum  Tower  stands  the  most  regally  mag- 
nificent building  of  all  the  many  beautiful  shrines  of 
Nikko,  the  Yakushido  or  Hall  of  the  Healing  God, 
Yakushi.  This  structure  indeed  served  as  model  for 
most  of  the  other  temples. 

Its  portico  is  supported  by  four  red  pillars  having  gilt 
elephants'  heads  at  the  extremities  of  the  transoms.  The 
spandrels  are  richly  carved  with  floral  designs  painted 

291 


NIKK6 

and  gilded.  Seventeen  elaborately  carved  and  painted 
panels  fill  the  spaces  under  the  roof  and  over  the  lustrous 
black  lacquer  doors.  Inside  the  building  is  an  intricate 
mass  of  painted  and  lacquered  columns  and  panels.  The 
ceiling  of  the  outer  chamber  is  decorated  with  a  coiled 
dragon  in  ink  on  gray  paper,  attributed  to  Kano  Yasu- 
nobu,  Tannyu's  youngest  brother.  Upon  the  elaborate 
dais  is  the  rich  shrine  of  the  main  deity.  Here  stands 
his  gilt  image,  flanked  by  those  of  his  attendants,  Surya 
(Sun)  and  Chandra  (Moon).  At  each  of  the  four  corners 
stand  painted  wood  statues  of  the  Shi-Tenno  or  Four 
Horizon  Guardians.  Upon  a  black  and  red  lacquered 
dais  near  by  stand  the  Twelve  Generals  called  Juni-jinsho. 
The  two  figures,  third  from  the  right  and  left  of  the 
shrine,  are  said  to  represent  leyasu.  That  to  the  right, 
with  white  face  and  movable  helmet,  is  said  to  be  a  good 
likeness  of  that  greatest  of  the  Tokugawa.  The  dainty 
little  birds  carved  above  the  shrine  are  well  worthy  of 
note,  as  is  the  hideous  little  wooden  god  who  stands  be- 
fore the  shrine  and  somewhat  after  the  manner  of 
Koken's  "  lantern  bearers  "  supports  upon  his  ugly  head 
the  incense-burner.  The  beauty  of  the  bright  red  lac- 
quer seen  on  all  sides  gives  one  a  fair  idea  of  the  original 
magnificence  of  the  Sacred  Bridge  to  which  we  have  al- 
ready referred.  The  white-painted  Yomei-mon  or  gate, 
which  leads  to  the  third  and  last  court,  is  one  of  the  most 
elaborately  carved  wooden  structures  in  Japan,  Figure 
225.  Right  and  left  of  the  gate  itself  is  a  gray-tiled  en- 
closure-wall of  wood  which  is  divided  unevenly  by  the 
Yomei-mon  itself.  Its  twenty-five  divisions  contain  each 
three  superb  panels  painted  and  carved  in  openwork  with 
designs  of  flowers,  birds>  fruit  and  small  animals  in  de- 

292 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

tail,  Figure  227.  The  Yomei-mon  or  Entrance-gate  itself 
is  supported  upon  twelve  pillars  of  keyaki-wood,  and  each 
and  all  are  covered  with  a  minute  geometrical  pattern 
broken  here  and  there  by  charmingly  designed  medal- 
lions. One  on  the  centre  pillar  on  the  left  of  the  gate 
contains  a  pair  of  fierce  little  dog-like  tigers.  Here  the 
natural  grain  of  the  wood  gives  the  appearance  of  fur, 
so  it  is  styled  the  "  grain  tiger  "  medallion.  A  somewhat 
naive  detail  in  the  ornamentation  of  Yomei-mon  is  repre- 
sented by  the  geometrical  pattern  carved  upon  the  further 
pillar  of  the  left  side.  In  this  case  the  pattern  has  been 
inverted,  lest  the  gate  being  all  too  perfect  a  thing  it 
should  bring  evil  to  the  Tokugawa  family.  This  column 
is  called  Mayoke-no-hashira  or  "  evil  averting  pillar." 

The  four  figures  seated  in  the  lower  story  are  the 
guardians,  Saidaijin  and  Udaijin.  Clad  in  old  costumes 
and  with  bows  at  their  backs  are  the  Chinese  and  Korean 
Dogs,  or  Ama-inu  and  Koma-inu.  On  two  sides  of  the 
niches  are  large,  boldly  carved  white  panels,  and  above, 
carved  and  painted  birds.  A  Buddhist  angel  decorates 
the  ceiling  of  each  of  the  four  alcoves.  The  ceiling 
is  decorated  with  ink  sketches  and  dragons  by  Kano 
Tannyu.  In  a  series  of  painted  panels  above  and 
on  the  transom  extends  a  splendid  series  of  openwork 
carvings  representing  various  Chinese  incidents,  etc. 
Splendid  openwork  carvings  of  peonies  embellish  the 
panels  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  gate. 

The  Yomei-mon  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  elabo- 
rately finished  examples  of  the  seventeenth  century 
wood-carver's  art  to  be  met  with  in  Japan.  Yet  the  Kara- 
mon  beyond,  Figure  228,  outrivals  it  in  many  ways. 
White  like  the  Yomei-mon,  its  bronze  dragon-capped, 

293 


NIKK6 

gilt-bronze  roof  and  elaborately  carved  beams  and  panels 
are  supported  by  four  great  keyaki-wood  columns. 
These  columns  are  richly  carved  and  overlaid  with  vari- 
ous designs  in  rare  Chinese  woods,  a  foretaste  of  the 
splendid  panels  we  shall  soon  see  in  the  antechamber 
of  the  Haiden.  Its  beautiful  doors  are  carved  in 
low  relief  and  here  and  there  over  the  various  connect- 
ing angles  bronze  ornaments  are  securely  clasped,  Figure 
229.  In  the  architrave  (south  side)  a  small  but  well- 
carved  panel  shows  Hsu  Yu  washing  his  ear  at  a  spring 
that  he  may  rid  himself  of  the  pollution  incurred  through 
the  preposterous  idea  voiced  by  his  Emperor  that  he,  the 
exalted  Emperor  Chao,  should  relinquish  the  Chinese 
throne  to  his  faithful  vassal  Hsu  Yu. 

Passing  through  this  beautiful  gate  we  are  confronted 
by  the  truly  sumptuous  Haiden,  an  elaborately  carved 
and  richly  painted  building  containing  a  single  long 
matted  room  flanked  by  two  antechambers,  Figure  230. 
Ascending  six  gilt  copper  steps,  one  stops  to  admire  the 
openwork  carvings  of  painted  peony  designs  which  orna- 
ment the  great  double  doors.  On  each  side  of  these  doors 
runs  a  red  lacquered  balcony,  the  sides  of  the  building 
itself  being  decorated  with  many  superb  examples  of 
carved  and  gold-lacquered  panels  embellished  with  boldly 
conceived  bird  and  floral  designs.  These  beautiful  exam- 
ples of  the  wood-carver's  art  are  worthy  of  Jingoro  him- 
self. 

Entering  the  main  chamber  one's  eyes  are  fairly  daz- 
zled by  the  brilliancy  of  its  decoration  and  richness  of 
appointment.  The  great  wooden  ceiling  is  broken  up 
into  hundreds  of  square  panels  in  which  some  follower 
of  Tannyu  has  painted  circular  arabesques  filled  in  with 

294 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

gilt  dragons.  The  interstices  between  the  black  lac- 
quered frames  are  filled  with  gilt,  square,  reticulated  trel- 
lis-work of  lacelike  delicacy.  The  walls  are  decorated 
with  paintings  by  one  of  the  later  Kano  artists,  and  the 
columns,  beams,  ramma  and  brackets  are  either  covered 
with  gold  lacquer  or  carved  in  openwork  and  embellished 
with  riotous  color,  lac  or  gilding.  The  various  appoint- 
ments of  this  chamber  consist  of  temple  flower-vases  of 
bronze,  tall  lamps  of  gold  and  black  lacquer,  lacquered 
gong  stands,  gold  lacquer  boxes  on  richly  lacquered 
stands,  painted  and  lacquered  drums,  gold  brocade  hang- 
ings and  a  gorgeous  gilt-copper  canopy,  the  whole  farm- 
ing one  of  the  most  magnificent  interiors  to  be  seen  in 
Japan. 

The  side-aisles  are  equally  rich  in  decoration.  Its  ceil- 
ing is  coffered  and  painted  at  centre  with  the  design  of  a 
Buddhist  angel  flying  through  space.  A  double  ramma 
of  openwork  bird  and  floral  designs  in  colors  and  gold 
runs  around  the  room,  every  inch  of  which  is  covered  with 
black  or  gold  lacquer  or  painted.  The  sides  of  the  room 
are  embellished  with  painted  fusuma  of  madly  capering 
shishi  by  some  follower  of  Tannyu,  and  at  the  upper  end 
stand  two  of  the  most  beautiful  carved  wood  panels  to 
be  seen  in  the  country.  The  designs,  said  to  have  been 
sketched  by  Kano  Tannyu  himself,  Figure  231,  represent 
two  alert  and  fierce-eyed  eagles,  seemingly  just  on  the 
point  of  springing  into  the  air  in  pursuit  of  their  prey. 
The  wonder  of  it  is,  perhaps,  that  in  their  transition  from 
canvas  to  panel,  the  designs  appear  to  have  lost  little  if 
any  of  their  boldness  and  truth  to  nature. 

The  chamber  to  the  right  of  the  main  room  is  very 
similar,  but  its  two  carved  panels  are  embellished  with 

295 


NLKKO 

designs  of  phoenix-birds  instead  of  eagles.  The  ceiling 
here  is  especially  fine.  Before  the  Restoration  this  cham- 
ber was  reserved  as  the  waiting-room  of  the  Shogun  or 
for  any  member  of  the  house  of  Tokugawa  who  might  be 
visiting  the  shrine  of  his  great  ancestor. 

Passing  down  four  black  lacquered  steps,  behind  the 
bamboo  curtains  at  the  back  of  the  Haiden  (centre)  we  ap- 
proach the  gorgeous  Oishi-no-ma  or  "  Stone  Chamber," 
so  called  because  the  floor  under  the  mats  is  of  stone. 
Here  again  the  ceiling  is  richly  carved  and  painted  with 
bird  designs;  the  six  pairs  of  doors  a  mass  of  delicately 
carved  peonies,  the  ramma  and  brackets  above  carved  in 
openwork  with  wave  and  peony  designs  and  brilliantly 
painted.  On  each  side  as  one  descends  the  steps,  one 
may  examine  two  large  examples  of  black  lacquered 
panels  decorated  with  charming  floral  designs  of  chrys- 
anthemums, etc.,  in  gold.  And  as  if  all  this  sumptuous- 
ness  of  decoration  was  insufficient  upon  the  dais  stand 
two  large  silver  vases  from  which  rise  movable  plum, 
pine  and  bamboo  branches.  Here  too  stand  four  gold 
lacquered  tables  inlaid  with  mother-of-pearl  and  support- 
ing other  beautiful  vases  and  lacquered  lamp  stands. 
But  perhaps  the  grandest  heights  to  which  the  unre- 
strained desire  for  effect  can  soar  is  evinced  in  the  deco- 
ration of  the  Honden  to  which  the  gilt  doors  of  the 
Oishi-no-ma,  Figure  232,  conduct  one. 

This  chamber  is  a  mass  of  red  lacquer  and  richly  gilt 
columns,  of  columns  carved  with  peony  designs  in  low 
relief  against  the  natural  keyaki-wood,  of  innumerable 
openwork  panels  carved  and  painted  with  peonies, 
pheasants  and  phoenix-birds.  The  whole  ceiling  is 
panelled  and  painted  with  phoenixes  and  floral  designs. 

296 


Fig.  229.     Detail  of  the  Kar- 
amon. 


Fig.  230.  Haiden  (interior).  Carved 
and  Painted  Wood,  Gold  Lacquer  and 
Gilded  Metalwork  in  Profusion.  Early 
Seventeenth  Century.  Toshogu  Shrines. 
Nikko. 

Photograph   Tamamura,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  232.  The  Oishi-no-ma.  Carved 
Wood  Richly  Painted  and  Gold  Lacquers. 
Seventeenth  Century.  Toshogu  Shrines, 
Nikko. 

Photograph   Tamamura,   Kyoto. 


Fig.      231.         Carved     Wood 
Panel   from   a   Design  by  Kano 
Tannyu   (17th  Century).     Ante- 
chamber   (left),  the  Haiden. 
Photograph   Tamamura,   Kyoto. 


Fig.  233.     Tomb    of    leyasu    Tokugawa     (d.     1616).     Bronze    Stupa    on 
Masonry  Pedestal.     Bronze  Group  in  Front    (17th  Century). 

Photograph    by   the   Author. 


Fig.  235.  Interior  Decoration  of  Gold 
Lacquer  in  Chapel  of  lemitsu  Tokugawa 's 
Temple,  Nikko.  Seventeenth  Century. 

Photograph   Tamamura,    Kyoto. 


Fig.  234.  Fujin,  God  of 
the  Winds,  Shrine  of  lem- 
itsu, Nikko.  Seventeenth 
Century.  Photograph 
Tamamura,  Kyoto. 


Fig.   236.     Garden    and    Miniature    Lake    Designed     by    the     Artist    and 
Aesthete    S6-ami    (15th   Century).      Awata   Palace    Garden,   Ky6to. 

Photograph  by  the  Author. 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

The  doors  on  one  side  are  decorated  with  delicate  pat- 
terns in  gilt  wire ;  on  the  other  with  gilt  copper  panels  of 
diaper  patterns  set  in  frames  of  gold  lacquer  on  black,  of 
extraordinary  richness.  The  ramma  or  friezes  have 
boldly  executed  openwork  designs  of  peonies  and  phoe- 
nixes, all  of  which  are  brilliantly  colored,  whilst  the 
beams  are  painted  with  similar  designs  and  plum,  pine 
and  bamboo  trees.  Silver  mirrors  that  hang  in  pairs  at 
the  north  end  of  the  chamber  serve  to  add  a  last  note  of 
splendour  to  what  is  one  of  the  most  magnificently  deco- 
rated chambers  among  Nikko's  many  sumptuously  ap- 
pointed rooms. 

A  short  passage  conducts  to  the  Naijin,  with  another 
splendidly  panelled  and  painted  ceiling  and  doors  with 
openwork  carvings  of  peonies.  Upon  the  three  lustrous 
gold  and  black  lacquered  altars  stand  gold  vases  filled 
with  gilt-paper  gohei.  At  each  side  and  each  end  of  the 
room  are  wonderfully  fresh  and  well-preserved  wall- 
paintings  of  Buddhist  deities  attributed  to  Kano  Tannyu, 
1602-1674.  These  last  are  protected  by  silk  brocade  cur- 
tains of  the  richest  design. 

Upon  leaving  the  Haiden  once  more,  we  return  to  the 
Third  Court  — that  is,  to  the  court  between  the  Yomei 
and  Kara-mon  Gates.  To  the  right  is  seen  the  Jinjo-do, 
a  storehouse  for  the  great  portable  shrines  (mikoshi)  and 
processional  paraphernalia  used  in  the  annual  proces- 
sions of  the  first  and  second  of  June  and  September 
(early  part),  processions  well  worth  going  from  Tokyo 
to  see,  if  one  is  unfortunate  enough  not  to  be  in  Nikko  at 
the  time.  Near-by  are  two  buildings,  the  Gomado, 
left,  and  Kagura-do,  right.  The  former  has  wall-panels 
in  colors  on  paper  by  an  artist  of  the  Kano  School  and 

297 


NIKKO 

very  elaborate  openwork  woodcarvings.  Before  1868  it 
was  the  house  where  the  goma  or  "  fire-prayers  "  were 
said. 

The  Kagura-do  or  "  Hall  of  the  Kagura  "  is  so  named 
on  account  of  its  dance-stage,  where  a  priestess  dressed 
in  voluminous  red  and  white  robes  performs  a  very  short 
religious  dance  called  the  kagura.  It  consists  of  digni- 
fied gyrations  and  the  shaking  of  a  sistrum-like  instru- 
ment set  with  little  bells. 

Behind  the  G6ma-do  are  the  Cloisters,  where  is  ex- 
hibited a  splendid  series  of  old  brocades,  dance-masks 
in  wood  and  lacquer,  costumes,  armour,  ancient  swords, 
lacquered  temple  utensils,  etc.,  in  fine,  a  small  museum 
enriched  with  many  an  interesting  object  of  sixteenth  to 
seventeenth  century  art. 

To  reach  the  tomb  of  Japan's  greatest  statesman,  sol- 
dier and  ruler,  we  follow  a  path  between  the  Goma  and 
Kagura  halls  and  pass  beneath  that  famous  gate  where 
sleeps  Jingoro's  black  and  white  cat,  a  famous  but  some- 
what overpraised  feline  who  is  represented  as  in  the  act 
of  springing  out  of  a  peony  plant.  As  its  eyes  are  fast 
closed  it  must  be  dreaming  of  mice.  The  country  folk 
say  of  nemuri-no-necko  that  if  he  had  been  awake,  he 
would  have  been  able  to  leap  from  the  panel,  so  true  to 
life  is  the  carving! 

The  gateway  conducts  to  the  high  mound  upon  which 
stands  the  tomb  of  leyasu  by  a  steep  flight  of  two  hun- 
dred moss-grown  steps.  Beyond  the  torii  at  the  top  of 
the  stair  is  a  mortuary-chapel  and  behind  it  the  circular 
stone  balustrade  which  encloses  the  bronze  stupa  of 
leyasu,  Figure  233.  In  front  of  it  stands  a  tall  bronze 
candlestick  of  stork  design,  a  bronze  koro  or  incense- 

298 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

burner,  and  a  bronze  vase  with  a  lotus-plant  in  it.  This 
set  is  a  worthy  example  of  early  seventeenth  century 
metal-work. 

The  main  avenue  of  cryptomerias,  that  long  line  of 
giant  conifers  that  stretches  from  Imaichi  to  Hotake-iwa, 
the  hill  upon  which  leyasu's  shrine  is  set,  is  continued 
on  around  and  behind  the  hill  as  far  as  the  Somen  Falls. 
The  trees  that  line  this  avenue,  Figure,  220,  were  set  out 
by  one  Matsudaira  Emon-no-Tayu  in  1650.  It  extends 
some  twenty-four  and  one-half  miles  and  took  the  Mat- 
sudaira over  twenty  years  to  plant  it.  His  fellow 
daimyos,  who  gave  presents  to  leyasu's  shrine  of  lac- 
quers, bronzes,  lanterns,  etc.,  jeered  at  him  for  setting 
out  a  lot  of  small  trees.  Recently  it  was  estimated  that 
the  value  of  the  timber  of  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
avenue  was  equal  to  fifty  dollars  for  every  step  taken 
when  walking  through  it. 

The  walk  to  the  Somen  Falls  by  a  stone-paved  path 
bordered  by  cryptomerias  over  a  hundred  feet  high  is 
flanked  on  the  one  side  by  a  rushing  river,  on  the  other 
by  the  precipitous  slope  of  tree-set  Hotake-iwa.  The 
path  is  so  narrow  that  one  can  well-nigh  touch  the  red 
trunks  of  the  trees  whose  colossal  shafts  soar  so  buoy- 
antly heavenward.  In  between  the  trees  to  the  left  of 
us,  the  little  stream  that  leaps  somewhat  tamely  over 
the  Somen  Falls  is  caught  in  a  stone  trough  and  goes 
singing  merrily  towards  the  northern  side  of  the  sacred 
hill,  where  it  serves  to  feed  the  great  stone  cistern  which 
stands  in  the  Second  Court  of  leyasu's  temple.  This 
path  to  the  Somen  Falls  is  without  a  doubt  one  of  the 
most  picturesque  spots  on  earth.  One  may  take  the 
walk,  going  to  the  right  of  the  hill  upon  which  stands 

299 


NIKKO 

leyasu's  tomb  and  continuing  on  until  one  has  reached 
the  little  falls  and  the  ruined  temples  beyond  it.  One 
should  retrace  one's  steps  to  a  path  that  ascends 
(right)  up  and  over  the  back  of  the  hill  and  down  through 
a  grove  of  magnificent  cryptomerias  to  the  cluster  of 
temples  called  Futa-ara-no-jinja  and  the  Tomb  of 
lemitsu. 

The  Futa-ara  temples  architecturally  are  the  Toshogu 
Shrines  (leyasu's)  over  again,  though  on  a  less  magnifi- 
cent scale.  They  are  well  worth  seeing,  however,  espe- 
cially the  Haiden  and  Honden. 

Opposite  these  stands  the  J6-gyo-do,  a  red  lacquered 
building  connected  to  the  H6kke-do  by  a  short  covered 
passage.  The  first  building  is  dedicated  to  Amida,  the 
second  to  Kishimojin,  a  woman  who  vowed  that  she 
would  devour  all  the  children  of  Ragagriha,  the  metropo- 
lis of  Buddhism.  Kishimojin  was  reborn  as  a  demon  and 
gave  birth  to  five  hundred  children,  one  of  whom  she  was 
to  devour  every  day.  She  was  converted  to  Buddhism 
by  Shaka  himself  and  passed  her  last  days  in  a  nunnery. 
She  is  honored  in  Japan  as  the  protectress  of  little  chil- 
dren. 

Both  temples  are  filled  with  seemingly  endless  lines  of 
gilt  or  painted  statues,  not  one  of  which  merits  but  pass- 
ing notice.  The  J6-gyo-do  possesses  a  blackened  wooden 
image  of  Fudo  that  may  perhaps  be  the  work  of  one  of 
the  artists  of  the  Kamakura  School  of  the  thirteenth 
to  the  fourteenth  century.  The  figure  stands  in  an  alcove 
to  the  north  of  the  main  room. 

The  near-by  Haiden  contains  a  panelled  ceiling  filled 
in  with  paintings  of  peonies  and  arabesques;  a  floor  of 
black  lacquer,  peculiarly  rich  and  lustrous;  a  rich  series 

300 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

of  ramma,  carved  and  painted;  and  the  usual  Buddhist 
ritual  paraphernalia  with  the  sutras  written  in  gold  in 
silver  circles.  Overhead  hangs  a  gilt  copper  canopy. 
Behind  this  temple  stands  the  stone  monument  which 
marks  the  tomb  of  Chiuko  Jigen  Daishi,  Abbot  of  Nikko 
in  1616,  when  leyasu's  shrine  was  first  begun. 

A  short  flight  of  stone  steps  leads  to  the  Nio-mon 
guarded  by  painted  wood  figures  of  the  Deva  Kings  — 
Indra  and  Brahma.  Those  in  the  outer  niches  are  ten 
feet  high,  but  lack  all  the  true  ferocity  of  the  earlier  art- 
ists. The  two  statues  at  the  back  were  removed  from 
the  Niomon  of  leyasu's  Shrine  soon  after  the  Revolution 
of  1868. 

Entering  the  First  Court  we  see  (left)  the  Hozo  or 
Treasure-house,  to  the  right,  the  Chodzuya  or  Cis- 
tern. The  latter  has  a  great  dragon  painted  upon 
its  ceiling  by  Kano  Yasunobu,  Tannyu's  younger 
brother.  Near  here  are  many  fine  bronze  lanterns, 
the  gifts  of  various  daimyos  whose  names  and  crests 
they  bear.  The  Niten-mon  or  "  Gate  of  the  Gods 
of  Wind  and  Thunder"  leads  to  the  Second  Court. 
This  gate  is  red  and  white  like  the  Nio-mon,  and,  like  it 
too,  its  four  niches  are  filled  by  four  great  carved-wood 
figures.  Facing  us  are  Idaten  and  Bishamonten,  the  first 
painted  green,  the  second  red.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
workmanship  of  the  two  to  commend  them.  The  two 
ferocious  figures  standing  in  the  niches  at  back  have 
given  the  gate  its  name.  For  here  stand  Raijin,  God  of 
Thunder,  backed  by  a  halo  of  drums,  and  Fujin,  God  of 
Winds,  Figure  234,  two  exceedingly  bad  examples  of  the 
wood-carver's  art,  but  great  favourites  with  both  the  na- 
tive and  foreign  visitor  to  Nikko.  Raijin  holds  a  thun- 

301 


NIKKO 

derbolt  in  his  right  hand ;  Fujin  clasps  about  his  shoulders 
the  bag  from  which  he  lets  loose  the  gentle  breezes  of 
March  and  the  dreaded  typhoon  of  August.  Two  fine 
bronze  lanterns  flank  the  gate. 

A  flight  of  seventy-one  steps  leads  to  the  Third  Court 
where  to  right  and  left  stand  the  Drum  and  Bell  Towers, 
of  some  interest  on  account  of  their  quaint  form.  The 
bell  is  rung  and  the  drum  beaten  but  once  in  fifty  years, 
at  a  commemorative  service  held  in  honor  of  lemitsu. 

Another  short  flight  of  steps  brings  us  to  the  Yasha- 
mon  or  "  Demons'  Gate,"  an  extremely  beautiful  gate 
guarded  by  the  menacing  figures  of  the  Shi-Tenno. 

In  the  Fourth  Court  beyond  stand  twenty-two  fine 
bronze  lanterns.  The  Kara-mon  is  well-nigh  as  richly 
carved  as  that  at  leyasu's  shrine.  Especially  noted  are 
the  two  large  white  phoenix-birds  above  the  door  and  the 
doors  themselves  which  are  embellished  with  splendid 
carvings  of  floral  designs,  etc.,  in  red  and  gold.  The 
Haiden  or  "  Oratory  "  inside  is  very  similar  to  that  at 
leyasu's  Shrine,  Figure  235.  Gilt  panels  on  each  side  at 
the  back  contain  three  large  sketches  of  dragons  attri- 
buted to  Kano  Tannyu,  and  to  his  pupils  are  attributed 
the  many  gold  dragons  that  fill  the  ceiling  panels.  The 
ramma  again  are  nearly  as  fine  as  those  in  leyasu's 
Shrine,  and  similar  in  design.  The  great  gilt  copper  can- 
opy hanging  from  the  ceiling  at  centre  was  the  gift  of 
Princess  Kage ;  the  gilt  lanterns  with  horn  windows,  the 
gift  of  a  King  of  Korea ;  a  silver  willow  and  silver  cherry 
tree  standing  in  gilt  bronze  vases,  the  gift  of  Prince 
Kishu ;  a  pair  of  bronze  storks  and  a  pair  of  bronze  lotus 
flowers,  the  gifts  of  other  nobles. 

The  Ainoma  or  "  Corridor  "  behind,  which  leads  to  the 

302 


SHRINES  OF  IEYASU  AND  IEMITSU 

Honden,  has  a  good  panelled  ceiling  painted  with  phoe- 
nix-birds. Here  the  Shogun's  daimyos  ranged  them- 
selves when  Tokugawa  came  to  worship  the  spirits  of 
his  ancestors.  Two  fine  examples  of  metal-work  are  the 
bronze  lantern  bearers  and  the  great  bronze  koro  or  in- 
cense-burner which  stands  between  them.  The  panelled 
doors  above  the  steps  are  extraordinarily  rich.  They 
are  composed  of  gold  lacquer  carved  with  animal  designs 
and  beautifully  decorated.  At  the  sides  are  panels  em- 
bellished with  floral  designs  in  colors  by  an  artist  of  the 
Kano  School  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  doors  to 
the  left,  even  richer  in  ornamentation  if  that  might  be, 
conduct  to  the  short  passageway  which  opens  upon  the 
Honden  or  Inner  Sanctum,  where  in  feudal  days  the  Sho- 
gun  offered  his  prayers. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  temples  of  Nikko. 
Its  exterior,  now  boarded  up,  is  of  bright  red  lacquer. 
Its  doors  are  of  red  lacquer  richly  gilt  and  the  lower  part 
of  the  building  is  composed  of  red  and  black  lacquer  with 
bossings  and  guards  of  gilt-copper. 

The  entrance  doors  are  of  lacquer  gilt,  the  pillars  that 
support  the  building  are  similarly  of  red  lacquer  gilt ;  and 
the  long  low  ceiling  is  decorated  with  a  huge,  writhing 
dragon  painted  by  Kano  Tannyu,  1602-1674.  The  open- 
work carvings  of  musical-angels  and  (above  them)  birds 
that  fill  in  the  frieze  (ramma)  which  surrounds  the  room 
rival  anything  of  the  kind  to  be  seen  at  Nikko.  From  the 
ceiling  hangs  a  metal  canopy  beneath  which  are  the  cus- 
tomary temple  paraphernalia,  each  and  every  object  a 
work  of  art  in  itself. 

At  the  centre  (rear)  stands  the  Shrine  of  bright  Luchu 
lacquer.  It  contains  the  memorial-statuette  of  lemitsu 

303 


NIKK6 

and  his  tablet.  The  Shi-Tenno  guard  the  four  corners  of 
the  Shrine  which  is  enriched  with  gilt  lacquer  designs  of 
birds,  animals,  flowers  and  plants.  A  side-door  (left) 
leads  to  the  G6-Honden,  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  three 
paintings  on  silk  by  Kano  Tannyu,  1602-1674.  The  three 
paintings  represent  the  Shaka  trinity.  The  Buddha,  clad 
in  a  red  robe,  is  seated  (centre),  backed  by  a  large  man- 
dorla;  on  his  right  Monju,  clad  in  voluminous  robes, 
rides  upon  his  lion.  To  the  left  Fugen  is  seen  seated 
upon  his  white  elephant.  The  wall  decoration  here  is 
very  fine,  consisting  of  great  lotus-flowers  painted  in  rich 
colours  against  a  gold  ground. 

The  Gokujo  or  "  Kitchen,"  where  the  sacred  offerings 
are  cooked,  contains  the  famous  gilt  lacquer  Goan  or 
"  canopy "  which  was  used  in  bringing  the  tablet  of 
leyasu  from  Kunozan  in  Suruga.  This  would  date  it 
in  the  year  1617,  when  the  long  journey  took  place.  Its 
floor  is  composed  of  black  lacquer  enriched  with  cloud 
designs  of  gilt  lacquer  and  mother-of-pearl.  At  the  back 
is  a  design  inlaid  with  various  precious  metals  which 
may  perhaps  represent  Mount  Sumeru,  the  home  of  the 
gods  of  Buddhist  mythology. 

From  here  we  pass  the  richly  lacquered  Kokamon, 
flanked  by  its  fine  bronze  lanterns,  and  reach  a  small 
mortuary  temple  (called  Haiden),  behind  which  stands 
the  tomb  of  the  third  Tokugawa  Shogun,  lemitsu,  1604- 
1651.  This  is  very  similar  in  design  to  that  of  leyasu 
illustrated  under  Figure  233. 


TOKY6 


SHIBA  TEMPLES 

THE  Mortuary  Temples  of  certain  of  the  Tokugawa 
Shoguns,  descendants  of  leyasu,  first  of  the  line, 
stand  in  the  extensive  grounds  of  the  great  Temple 
Zojoji,  headquarters  in  Tokyo  of  the  Jodo  or  "Pure 
Land  "  sect  of  Buddhism. 

The  temple  was  founded  during  the  early  years  of  the 
Ashikaga  Shogunate  (i4th  century) ;  but  it  was  re- 
moved under  leyasu  in  1596,  and  set  up  in  its  present 
position.  The  original  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
1874,  and  rebuilt  on  a  somewhat  smaller  scale.  The 
main  gate  or  Sammon  is  the  original  structure  which  was 
erected  in  the  year  1623. 

As  leyasu  Tokugawa  had  caused  the  funerary  tablets 
of  his  ancestors  to  be  deposited  in  the  sanctum  of  Zojoji, 
this  spot  became  in  a  way  sacred  to  the  house  of  Toku- 
gawa. And  hence  it  follows  that  many  members  of  this 
house  desired  to  have  their  bodies  lie  near  by. 

Here  are  buried  six  Shoguns  of  the  line,  Hidetada  (d. 
1632);  lenobu  (d.  1713);  letsugu  (d.  1716);  leshige 
(d.  1761);  leyoshi  (d.  1853);  and  lemochi  (d.  1866). 
Their  tombs  are  very  similar  in  design  to  those  of  their 
greater  relatives  at  Nikko,  their  mortuary  shrines,  with 
the  exception  of  that  of  the  Second  Shogun,  Hidetada, 
not  quite  so  fine. 

Like  the  ground  plan  of  the  temples  at  Nikko  (q.  v.) 
each  Shogun's  tomb  possesses  three  dependent  buildings, 
an  Oratory  or  Haiden,  Corridor  or  Ainoma  and  Sanctum 

307 


TOKYO 

or  Honden.     The  tomb  itself  is  commonly  behind  these 
buildings. 

One  customarily  visits  the  Mortuary  Shrines  of  the 
Seventh  and  Ninth  Shoguns  first,  then  those  of  letsugu 
and  leshige. 

The  Haiden  or  "  Oratory,"  a  mass  of  painted  carvings 
on  the  exterior,  is  decorated  within  by  the  best  of  the 
later  Kano  artists,  Chikenobu.  Along  its  walls  huge 
conventionalized  lions  leap  and  caper  in  a  truly  unlion- 
like  manner.  The  dimly  seen  ceiling  is  a  splendid  exam- 
ple of  lacquered  panelling  and  painting,  as  is  that  of  the 
Ainoma  or  "  Corridor  "  beyond.  Here  again  Chikenobu 
has  left  us  charming  floral  designs  in  brilliant  colours 
painted  upon  the  walls  on  either  side.  In  the  Honden 
are  three  magnificent  examples  of  eighteenth  century 
gold  lacquer  and  metal-work,  three  shrines  said  to  contain 
the  memorial  statuettes  of  the  Sixth,  Seventh  and  Ninth 
Shoguns,  together  with  their  funerary  tablets.  These 
images,  the  gift  of  Mikados,  are  never  shown.  The  great 
table  which  supports  these  shrines  is  of  brilliant  red  lac- 
quer, as  are  the  two  smaller  tables  before  it.  Nothing 
can  surpass  the  richness  of  the  effect  of  this  altar,  as  the 
various  appointments,  all  in  gold  or  red  lacquer,  are 
thrown  into  strong  relief  against  a  background  (wall)  of 
fine  gold-leaf.  Added  to  this,  the  huge  gates  in  front 
are  bright  with  gold,  their  panels  being  further  embel- 
lished with  delicate  openwork  floral  designs  and  the  crest 
of  the  Tokugawa,  the  three-leaved  asarum,  in  gold.  As 
is  customary  the  altar  is  guarded  by  the  menacing  figures 
of  the  Shi-Tenno  or  Four  Heavenly  Kings,  assisted  in 
this  case  by  Kwannon  and  Benten. 

308 


SHIBA  TEMPLES 

On  the  way  to  the  tombs  we  pass  the  beautiful  Kara- 
mon  or  "  Chinese  Gate,"  a  tasteful  structure  brilliant  with 
colors  but  in  no  way  to  be  compared  with  that  at  Nikko. 
Yet,  the  long  wooden  gallery  which  branches  off  on  either 
side  contains  some  superb  examples  of  wood-carving.  A 
great  dragon  panel  in  openwork,  seen  when  the  guide  has 
opened  the  gate,  is  one  of  the  best  bits  of  wood-carving 
to  be  seen  at  Shiba.  The  Court  beyond  contains  the 
Choku-Gaku-mon  or  "  Gate  of  the  Imperial  Tablet,"  and 
a  splendid  array  of  great  bronze  lanterns,  two  hundred 
and  twelve  all  told,  each  and  all  of  eighteenth  century 
workmanship  and  presented  by  daimyo  friends  of  the 
deceased  Shogun.  A  few  steps  lead  to  the  Second  Court 
in  which  stands  the  Nio-mon  or  "  Gate  of  the  Deva 
Kings,"  and  many  fine  old  lichen-covered  stone  lanterns 
of  similar  date  shaded  by  the  overhanging  branches  of 
splendid  pines. 

Returning,  we  follow  our  guide  past  the  6shi-kiri-mon 
or  "  Dividing  Gate,"  a  mass  of  elaborate  carving.  In 
these  panels  we  may  note  a  common  trick  of  the  Toku- 
gawa  sculptors  —  Jingoro  may  perhaps  have  set  the 
style  —  in  which  an  openwork  design  showing  a  ferocious 
shishi  or  lion  about  to  leap  from  the  panel  reveals  on  the 
opposite  side  not  the  lion  we  should  expect  but  a  gorge- 
ous pheasant,  a  spray  of  peonies  or  a  dainty  musical  angel 
floating  languidly  in  space.  We  soon  reach  another  great 
court  where  stand  many  more  bronze  lanterns  and  a 
steep  though  short  flight  of  steps  leads  to  the  simple 
monuments  of  pagoda-like  form  protected  by  an  encir- 
cling wall  which  is  encased  in  turn  in  black  copper 
moulded  with  wave-designs. 

309 


T6KY6 

The  other  temples  and  tombs  are  very  similar  in  de- 
sign, but  the  temple  of  the  Second  Shogun  well  deserves 
more  than  passing  notice. 

The  temple  buildings  are  approached  by  a  wide  court 
in  which  stands  a  large  covered  cistern  of  graceful  pro- 
portions. The  interior  of  the  brightly  painted  Honden 
is  a  marvel  of  dimly  seen  splendour.  The  two  huge  lac- 
quer pillars  that  support  the  ponderous  roof,  seen  to  the 
right  and  left  of  the  altar,  are  richly  gilt.  The  arched 
ceiling  is  panelled  and  decorated  with  delicate  gilt  and 
painted  lattice-work  superimposed  above  a  lacquer 
ground.  A  splendid  carved  frieze  runs  around  the  upper 
part  of  the  walls,  a  frieze  of  bird  medallions  in  high  re- 
lief painted  and  gilded.  The  Shrine,  but  dimly  seen  at 
best,  is  a  superb  example  of  seventeenth  century  lacquer 
richly  ornamented  with  floral  designs  and  studded  here 
and  there  with  the  crest  of  the  Tokugawa.  The  temple 
paraphernalia  dates  for  the  most  part  from  the  same 
period ;  the  great  bronze  koro  or  incense-burner  is  dated 
in  the  year  1635. 

But  to  enjoy  a  really  fine  example  of  ancient  lacquer 
we  must  continue  on  to  the  Hakkaku-do  or  "  Octagonal 
Hall,"  in  which  stands  the  tomb  of  the  Second  Shogun. 

We  approach  the  building  by  a  narrow  path  over  which 
in  April  cherry  blossoms  scatter  their  great  pink  petals. 
On  the  left  is  the  Haiden,  very  similar  to  other  buildings 
here  and  containing  nothing  of  interest.  Before  the  en- 
trance to  the  Hakkaku-do  stand  two  stone  monuments 
upon  which  are  carved  minutely  and  delicately  "  The 
Descent  of  Amida  and  Bodhisattva  to  Welcome  the 
Souls  of  the  Departed"  and  "  Shaka's  Entrance  into 
Nirvana."  These  were  erected  in  the  year  1644. 

310 


SHIBA  TEMPLES 

Within  we  see  the  lacquer  monument  of  the  Shogun  at 
centre,  shaped  somewhat  like  that  of  leyasu,  and  sup- 
ported by  a  stone  base  in  the  form  of  a  lotus  flower.  This 
is  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  largest  specimens  of 
gold  lacquer  now  in  existence  and  it  is  certainly  one  of 
the  most  beautiful.  The  upper  half  is  decorated  with 
idealistic  designs  of  "The  Eight  Famous  Views  of 
Hsiao-Hsiang  in  China,"  and,  its  counterpart,  "Japan's 
Eight  Famous  Views  or  Beauties  of  Lake  6mi,"  more 
popularly  known  as  "  Biwa,"  near  Kyoto.  Of  the  site  of 
China's  eight  famous  views  nothing  is  known,  but  the 
views  of  6mi,  so  constantly  referred  to  in  Japanese  art 
and  literature,  consist  of:  The  Autumn  Moon  from 
Ishiyama;  Evening  Snow  on  Hirayama;  Sunset  Glow 
at  Seta;  Sounding  the  Evening  Bell  at  Miidera;  Boats 
Sailing  Back  from  Y abase;  A  Bright  Sky  with  a  Breeze 
at  Awazu;  Rain  by  Night  at  Karasaki;  and  Wild  Geese 
Alighting  at  Katata. 

The  lower  half  of  the  monument  is  embellished  with 
designs  in  gold  of  shaggy  lions  and  gorgeous  peonies,  and 
the  whole  brilliant  piece  of  lacquer  is  further  decorated 
at  intervals  with  dainty  bits  of  enamel  on  copper,  some  of 
the  earliest  of  Japanese  enamels,  gilt  copper  and  dully 
gleaming  crystals.  Inside  the  shrine  are  kept  the  tablet 
and  memorial  statuette  of  the  Shogun.  His  body  rests 
beneath  the  pavement. 

The  dark  chamber  in  which  stands  this  remarkable 
monument  is  well  worthy  to  house  so  rich  an  object. 
For  the  great  round  roof  is  supported  by  a  mass  of  carved 
and  painted  beams,  which  rest  in  turn  upon  eight  mag- 
nificent pillars  encased  in  gilt  copper  plates.  The 
walls  surrounding  the  buildings  are  of  lacquer  gilt.  This 

3" 


T6KY6 

little  mortuary-chapel  indeed  is  a  worthy  rival  of  the 
famous  Nikko  shrines  and  temples.52 

62  For  lack  of  space  we  omit  a  description  of  the  other  buildings  of  this 
site  and  neighborhood,  many  of  which  are  of  interest.  Those  at  Uyeno, 
TokyO  are  also  omitted  as  similar  in  style.  All  are  fully  described  in  Mur- 
ray's "Handbook  of  Japan." 


$13 


GLOSSARY 


GLOSSARY 


Ainoma. —  Gallery  or  Corridor  in  Shinto  temple. 

Aizen  Myo-6. —  A  transformation  of  Fudo,  Spirit  of  Love. 

Amaterasu. —  "The  Heavenly  Shiner;"  the  Sun-Goddess  sprung 
from  the  left  eye  of  the  Creator  Izanagi.  Ancestress  of 
the  Imperial  House  of  Japan. 

Amida. — Personification  of  Boundless  Light  said  to  dwell  in  a 
Paradise  or  "  Pure  Land "  of  the  West.  Worshipped  es- 
pecially by  followers  of  the  popular  Old  Jodo  (Pure 
Land)  Sect  of  Buddhism  founded  by  Genkfi,  1133-1212, 
and  by  the  True  Jodo. 

Ashikaga. —  A  powerful  family  who  became  Shoguns  during 
the  fourteenth  century.  The  Ashikaga  Epoch,  1334-1567. 

Awata-no-G6ten. —  The  Awata  Palace,  Kyoto.  Founded  in  the 
eighth  century;  garden  designed  by  S6-ami  (isth  cen- 
tury). 

B 

Bayen. —  Chinese  artist  Ma  Yuan,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty. 
Flourished  as  Court  Painter  between  1190  and  1224  A.  D. 

Bishamon.— Vajravana,  Spirit  of  Courage,  commonly  repre- 
sented in  armour  and  holding  spear  and  small  pagoda. 

Bodhisattva. — (Japanese  bosatsu)  Buddhist  saints,  especially  the 
Buddha's  "Twenty-five  Companions"  so  commonly  re- 
presented in  art.  Beings  who  need  but  one  more  human 
experience  to  attain  to  complete  "enlightenment"  or 
"buddahood." 

Brahma. —  (Japanese  Bonten)  With  Indra  one  of  the  Ni-6  or 
guardian  deities  placed  at  the  outer  temple  gate.  See 
Shi-Tenno. 

Buddha.— See  Shaka. 

Bungakudai.— Stage  for  the  performance  of  the  bugaku  dance. 


GLOSSARY 

C 

Chajin.— A  tea  expert. 

Chakai. — Meeting  of  aesthetes  and  literati  at  a  tea-ceremony. 

Chandra. —  (Japanese    Gwakko)    A    lunar    deity,    with    Surya 

(Nikko)  the  solar  deity  an  attendant  of  the  Healing  God, 

Yakushi. 
Chang  Chung-mu. —  Chinese  artist,  son  of  Meng-tau,  Southern 

Sung  Dynasty  (isth  Century). 
Chang   Seng-yu. — Chinese   artist   of   the   Liang   Dynasty   (479- 

557  A.D.). 

Cha-no-yu. —  The  tea-ceremony. 
Chao   Ch'ang. —  Chinese  artist,   Northern   Sung   Dynasty   (nth 

Century). 
Chao  Ch'ien-li.—  Chinese  artist.    Flourished  under  the  Emperor 

Che-tsung,  1085-1100. 
Chao    Meng-chien. —  Chinese    artist,    Southern    Sung    Dynasty 

(i3th  Century). 
Chao  Tzu-yun. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (i2th 

Century). 

Chaseki.— A  tea-room. 
Ch'en  So  Wung. —  Chinese  artist  of  the  Southern  Sung  Dynasty 

(i2th  Century). 
Ch'ien   Hsiian. —  Chinese   artist,   late   Southern   Sung   Dynasty, 

circa  1260. 
Ching  Hao. —  Chinese  artist  of  the  Five  Minor  Dynasties  (6th- 

7th  Centuries). 

Cho  Densu. —  Mincho,  Japanese  artist,  1351-1431. 
Chokuan  Soga. —  Japanese  artist.    Died  about  1614. 
Cho    Shikio. —  Chinese    artist,    Northern    Sung    Dynasty    (nth 

Century). 
Chou   Chang.— Chinese  artist,   Southern   Sung   Dynasty   (i2th 

Century). 
Chou  Fang. —  Chinese  artist,  T'ang  Dynasty,  flourished  about 

780-805  A.  D. 

Chow  Dynasty. —  Chinese,  1122-255  B.C. 

Chozu-bachi.—  Japanese  name  for  temple  Cistern  for  ablutions. 
Cryptomeria.—  A  species  of  cedar. 

316 


GLOSSARY 


Daibutsu. — "Great  Buddha,"  commonly  used  of  the  bronze 
statues  of  the  Nara  and  Kamakura  deities  Rushanna  and 
Amida. 

Daibutsuden.— Temple  of  Great  Buddha. 

Daimyos. —  Feudal  lords  of  Japan. 

Daruma.— -  The  twenty-eighth  Buddhist  patriarch;  an  Indian 
who  flourished  during  the  sixth  century. 

Dengyo  Daishi. —  (Saicho)  A  Japanese  saint.  Founder  and  first 
abbot  of  the  Enryakuji,  Mount  Hiei,  Kyoto.  Flourished 
about  800  A.  D.  Preached  the  Tendai  doctrine  of  China. 

E 

Eiga. —  Japanese  artist,  Takuma  School,  early  fourteenth  cen- 
tury. 

Eisho. —  Priestly  sculptor,  ninth  century. 

Eitoku. —  Japanese  artist,  son  of  Kano  Naonobu  and  grandson 
of  Motonobu,  1543-1590. 

Emma-6. —  Yamaraja,  Regent  of  Hell. 

Eshin  Sozu. —  Japanese  artist  and  sculptor-priest,  Jodo  sect, 
942-1017.  First  to  use  cut  gold-leaf  in  paintings. 


Fan  K'uan. —  Chinese  artist  Northern  Sung  Dynasty  (nth  Cen- 
tury). 

Fu  Daishi.— Chinese  priest  (6th  Century)  inventor  of  the  rinzo 
or  revolving  library. 

Fudo.—  (Achala)  Spirit  of  Love,  though  by  some  identified 
with  Dainichi,  Spirit  of 'Wisdom  and  Purity. 

Fugen. —  (Samantabhadra)  Represents  "  the  (Buddhist) 
Church"  as  does  his  companion  Monju  "the  Law"  and 
Shaka  "the  Buddha"  in  the  Shaka  trinity  so  commonly 
met  with  both  in  painting  and  sculpture. 

Fujin. —  God  of  the  Winds. 

Fujiwara. — An  ancient  family  of  the  Nakatomi  clan.  After 
Kamatari  (yth  Century)  called  Fujiwara.  Ancestors  of 
the  Imperial  line  of  Japan. 


GLOSSARY 

Fujiwara  Epoch. —  Early,  888-986;  Middle,  986-1072;  Late,  1072- 

"55. 

Fushimi. — A  village  near  Kyoto.  Here  stood  the  Taiko  Hide- 
yoshi's  famous  Momoyama  Palace,  of  which  but  the  foun- 
dations now  exist. 

Fusuma.— .  Sliding  wall-panels. 

G 

Gandhara. —  Ancient  city  in  Peshawar  Valley,  Northwest  India. 

Early  art  of  district  thereabouts  shows  Greek  influence 

due  to  its  conquest  by  Alexander  the  Great. 
Ganki. —  Chinese  artist,  Yuan  Dynasty  (i4th  Century). 
Gei-ami. —  Japanese  artist,  son  of  No-ami,  fifteenth  century. 
Gessen. —  Japanese  priest  and  painter,  1720-1809. 
Giogon.— Japanese  artist,  end  of  thirteenth  century. 
Godoshi.— Japanese  name  of  Wu  Tao-tze,  a  famous  Chinese 

artist  of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  who  flourished  during  the 

first  half  of  the  eighth  century  of  our  era. 
Gohei—  Paper  strips  hung  upon  stands.    In  the  Shinto  cult  a 

substitute  for  the  ancient  offerings  of  cloth. 
Gwakko. —  Chandra,  the  Lunar  Deity,  with  Nikko  or  Surya,  the 

Solar  Deity  attendants  of  Yakushi,  the  God  of  Healing. 
Gyoji  (Bosatsu). —  A  Korean  priest,  statesman,  architect,  and 

bronze-founder  who   served   the   great  Emperor  Shomu. 

Born  670;  died  749  A.  D. 

H 
Hachiman.— Chinese  name  of  the  Japanese  Emperor  Cjin,  God 

of  War  (3d  Century),  ancestor  of  the  Minamoto  family 

to  which  the   Shogun  Yoritomo,  founder   of  Kamakura, 

belonged. 

Han  Kan.—  Chinese  artist  of  the  T'ang  Dynasty  (8th  Century). 
Hanshun. —  Priestly  artist,   1037-1112. 
Hideyoshi.—  Toyotomi  Hideyoshi  the  Taiko,  soldier  and  Regent 

of  Japan.    Born  1536,  died  1598. 

Hinochi. —  A  species  of  cedar  having  a  fine  hard  wood. 
Hojo  or  Zashiki. —  Priests'  apartments  of  a  Buddhist  temple. 
Ho  jo.—  Feudal  lords  of  Odawara.    Acted  as  guardians  for  the 

318 


GLOSSARY 

descendants  of  the  famous  Shogun  Yoritomo  during  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries  during  which  time  they 
practically  ruled  Japan. 

Honden. — Main  Shrine  of  a  Shinto  temple. 

Hondo. —  Main  Hall  of  a  Buddhist  temple. 

Honen  Shonin  (Genku).— Founder  of  the  Old  Jodo  sect,  a 
branch  of  Tendai.  Died  1212. 

Hozo. — Temple  Treasury,  Shinto  and  Buddhist. 

Hsia  Kuei. — Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty.  Flour- 
ished under  the  Emperor  Ning-tsung,  1194-1224. 

Hsii  Hsi — Chinese  artist,  Five  Dynasties,  907-960  A.  D. 

Hui-tsung. — Chinese  artist-Emperor,  1101-1127. 

I 

Ikebana. —  Arrangement  of  living  plants.  Methods  of  arrange- 
ment follow  in  the  main  three  schools,  those  of:  S6-ami 
(i5th  Century);  Kobori,  lord  of  Enshiu  (i6th  Century); 
and  Sen-no  Rikyu  (i7th  Century). 

Ink. —  Compare  sumi. 

Ishidoro. —  Stone  lanterns  presented  to  temple  grounds  gener- 
ally in  memory  of  some  departed  hero  or  lord. 

lyeyasu. —  Tokugawa  lyeyasu,  first  Shogun  of  his  line;  one  of 
the  greatest  men  Japan  has  produced.  He  was  of  the 
family  of  the  Minamoto  and  could  thus  claim  connection 
with  the  Imperial  line  of  the  Mikados.  Born  1542;  died 
1616.  Buried  at  Nikko. 

Yiian-chi.— Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (nth  cen- 
tury). 

Izanagi. — With  Izanami  his  wife,  creators  of  Japan  and  ances- 
tors of  the  Mikados. 

J 

Jakuchu  (Ito). —  Japanese  artist,  1715-1800. 

Jasoku  (Soga).— -Japanese  artist,  founder  of  Soga  School  in  lat- 
ter part  of  the  fifteenth  century. 

Jingoro   (Hidari). —  Japanese  architect  and  sculptor,  1584-1634. 

Jion  Daishi. —  Famous  Chinese  Buddhist  priest  and  teacher,  631- 
682  A.  D. 

319 


GLOSSARY 

Jittoku.— Legendary  Chinese  demi-god. 

Jizo. —  The  Japanese  S.  Christopher  and  patron  of  travellers. 

Jocho.— Japanese  sculptor,  T'ang  style,  supposed  to  have  died 

about  1053  A.D. 

Jokei.—  Japanese  sculptor,  thirteenth  century. 
Josetsu. —  Chinese    artist    settled    in    Japan.    Founder    of    the 

Higashiyama  School  of  the  fifteenth  century. 


Kakemono. — "  Hanging  picture  "  on  silk  or  paper,  when  not  ex- 
hibited wound  about  a  wooden  roller  and  tied  with  a  silk 
cord.  When  suspended  in  the  tokonoma  a  painting  of 
this  type  is  seen  to  the  best  advantage  kneeling  and  at  a 
distance  of  about  one  mat  from  the  alcove. 

Kala.— Goddess  of  Art. 

Kanaoka  (K6se-no). —  Founder  of  a  native  school  of  Japanese 
painting,  the  Kose,  a  school  influenced  by  the  Chinese  art 
of  early  T'ang.  Second  half  of  the  ninth  century. 

Keion. — See  Sumiyoshi. 

Keishoki. —  Japanese  artist,  Sung  style,  fifteenth  century. 

Kenshin  Daishi. —  See  Shinran  Shonin. 

Kiu-ying.—  Chinese  artist,  Ming  Dynasty,  1368-1662. 

Koawase.—  The  incense-ceremony. 

Koben. —  Japanese  sculptor,  son  of  Unkei,  thirteenth  century. 

Kobo  Daishi  (Kukai).— Japanese  Buddhist  saint.  Famous  art- 
ist, calligrapher,  sculptor  and  traveller.  Born  774;  died 
834  A.D.  Buried  upon  Mount  Koya.  Preached  the 
Shingon  or  Tendai  doctrine  of  China. 

Kobori  Enshu. — Courtier  and  aesthete  under  Hideyoshi  and 
lyeyasu.  Expert  in  the  tea  ceremony  and  flower  arrange- 
ment. Born  1577;  died  1645. 

K6-i  (Sadanobu). —  Japanese  artist,  teacher  of  Kan 6  Naonobu, 
Tannyu  and  Yukinobu.  Born  1597;  died  1673. 

Kokuzo.— An  infinitely  wise  bodhisattva. 

Komokuten. —  One  of  the  Shi-Tenno  or  Four  Guardians  of  the 
Horizon.  Birupaksha,  Guardian  of  the  South. 

Kondo.— Main  Hall  of  a  Buddhist  temple. 

320 


GLOSSARY 

Korin  (Ogata). —  Japanese  artist  pupil  of  Yasunobu  or 
Tsunenobu  but  influenced  in  the  main  by  Koyetsu  and 
Sotatsu.  Born  1640;  died  1716. 

Kosho. —  Priestly  sculptor,  T'ang  style,  tenth  century. 

Koyetsu  (Honnami). —  Japanese  artist,  lacquerer  and  sword- 
expert.  As  lacquerer  originated  inlays  of  metal  and 
mother-of-pearl.  Born  1556;  died  1637. 

Kukai.—  See  Kobo  Daishi. 

Kuo  Hsi. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty.  Flourished 
under  the  Emperor  Shen-tsung  (nth  Century). 

Kura.—  Fire-proof  storehouse  commonly  of  masonry  and  de- 
tached from  the  residence,  temple  or  place  of  business. 

Kunitaka. —  Japanese  artist,  Tosa  School.  Flourished  about 
1299-1316. 

Kwaikei. —  Japanese  sculptor,  about  1190-1210. 

Kwannon. —  (Sanskrit,  Avalokitesvara ;  Chinese,  Kuanyin) 
Goddess  of  Mercy.  Common  sculptural  and  pictorial 
forms  of  this  beneficent  bodhisattva  are:  Nyorin  or 
Omnipotent  Kwannon;  Senju  or  Thousand-Handed 
Kwannon;  Ju-ichi-men  or  Eleven- Faced  Kwannon;  Sh6 
or  Wise  Kwannon. 

L 

Liang  K'ai. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (i2th  Cen- 
tury). 

Li  Lung-mien.— Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (nth 
Century). 

Litharge. — (Painting)  In  Japanese  medaso,  a  combination  of 
oxide  of  lead  and  oil.  Probably  introduced  into  Japan 
from  India  through  the  Chinese  or  Koreans. 

Lotus. —  In  art  symbolizes  purity. 

M 

Makim6no.— .  Picture  Roll  or  scw/7-painting  in  contradistinction 

to  the  kakemono  or  hanging  picture. 
Ma    Lin.— Chinese    artist,    son    of    Ma   Yuan,    Southern    Sung 

Dynasty  (i2th  Century). 

321 


GLOSSARY 

Masanobu. —  Japanese  artist,  with  his  more  gifted  son 
Motonobu,  founder  of  the  Kano  School  of  painting.  Born 
1453;  died  1490. 

Matahei  (Iwasa). —  Japanese  artist,  founder  of  the  Popular 
School  of  Ukiyoye.  End  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Ma  Yuan. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty.  Flour- 
ished as  Court  Painter  between  1190  and  1224  A.  D. 

Mincho  (Cho  Densu). —  Japanese  artist,  Sung  (Chinese)  style. 
Born  1352;  died  1431. 

Minamoto. —  A  famous  Japanese  clan  whose  chieftains  were  de- 
scendants of  the  Emperor  Saga,  810-823.  A  branch  line 
of  the  house — the  Seiwa-Genji — produced  such  famous 
men  as  the  Shogun  Yoritomo,  the  great  art  patrons  Ashi- 
kaga  Yoshimitsu  and  Yoshimasa,  and  the  Tokugawa  Sho- 
gun, lyeyasu, 

Miroku.— The  next  or  "Expected  Buddha"  who  will  appear 
some  5000  years  after  the  death  of  Nirvana  of  Shaka 
(488  B.C.). 

Mitsuoki.  (Tosa).— Japanese  artist,  native  (Tosa)  school,  1617- 
1691. 

Monju. —  Spirit  of  Wisdom;  in  the  Shaka  trinity  probably  repre- 
sents "the  Law."  Carries  scroll  and  jewelled  sceptre. 

Motomitsu. —  Japanese  artist,  Tosa  school  of  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury. 

Muchi. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty  (nth  Cen- 
tury). 

N 

Naonobu. —  Japanese  artist,  pupil  of  K6-i,  Kano  school,  1607- 
1651. 

Nehanzo. —  Representation  of  the  Death  or  Nirvana  of  Shaka 
which  is  said  to  have  taken  place  about  488  B.  C.  Com- 
pare Shaka. 

Nicheren. —  Japanese  Buddhist  priest  and  founder  of  the  sect 
which  bears  his  name.  Born  1222;  died  about  1280. 

Nikko.— Surya,    the    Solar    Deity,    with    ChandrS,    the    Lunar 
Deity,  one  of  the  Yakushi  trinity. 
322 


GLOSSARY 

Ni-6.  —  The  temple  gate  guardians,  Indra  and  Brahma.    Stand 

at  the  outer  gate,  the  Shi-Tenno  or  "  horizon  gods  "  at  the 

inner. 
Nirvana.  —  A  conscious  but  incorporeal  state  into  which  enter 

those  "  enlightened  "  and  "  perfected  "  souls  who  have  at- 

tained to  Buddhahood. 
No-ami    (Nakao    Shinno).  —  Japanese   artist,   pupil   of   Shubun. 

Flourished  about  1429-1486. 
Nobumasa.  —  Japanese  artist,  Kano  school,  seventeenth  century. 

O 

6kyo  (Maruyama).  —  Japanese  artist,  founder  of  the  Maruyama 

branch  of  the  natural  school,  1723-1795. 
.  —  Japanese  term  for  demons. 


P 

Pien  Luan.—  Chinese  artist,  T'ang  Dynasty,  flourished  about 
790-815  A.  D. 

R 

Rakan.  —  Arhan  or  Arhats,  perfected  saints  of  Buddhism;  more 
especially  the  "  sixteen  "  and  "  five  hundred  disciples  "  of 
Shaka. 

Rikyu  (Sen-no).—  Japanese  chajin  and  aesthete,  1521-1591. 

Rinzo.  —  Revolving  Library  in  Buddhist  temple  grounds. 

Ririumin.  —  Japanese  name  of  the  famous  Sung  (Chinese)  artist 
Li  Lung-mien,  eleventh  century. 

S 
Sanraku    (Kimura).  —  Japanese    artist,    Kano    school,   pupil    of 

Eitoku,  1558-1635. 
Sekkei  (Yamaguchi).  —  Japanese  artist  Sosetsu,  pupil  of  Yeino, 

Hamacho  Kano  school,  1611-1669. 
Sesson   (Shukei).—  Japanese  artist,  Unkoku  school   (Sesshu's), 

flourished  about  1532-1569. 
Sesshu  (Toyo).  —  Japanese  artist,  pupil  of  S6-Shubun.    Studied 

in  China  from  1467-1470,  especially  works  of  Hsia  Kuei. 

Returned  to  found  the  Unkoku  or  Sesshu  school.    Born 

1420;  died  1506. 

323 


GLOSSARY 

Shaka. —  Or  Shaka  Muni,  the  Japanese  equivalent  of  S'akyamuni, 
the  Buddha  Siddhartha  Guatama,  son  of  Suddhodana  and 
Maha  Maya,  the  former  a  chief  of  the  Sakiya  clan 
(Rajput).  Born  in  the  Lumbini  Garden  near  Kapilavastu, 
North  India,  about  568  (or  623)  B.  C. ;  died  about  488  (or 
543)  B.C.  near  Kusinara.  The  stupa  erected  by  the 
Sakiya  clan  over  their  share  of  the  Buddha's  ashes  was 
recently  discovered  near  the  boundary  line  between  Brit- 
ish India  and  Nepaul. 

Shakudo. —  A  metal  alloy  having  a  brilliant  black  patine. 

Shang  Dynasty. —  Chinese,  1766-1122  B.C. 

Shingon.— A  Buddhist  Sect. 

Shinto. —  The  "Way  of  the  Gods."  primitive  cult  of  the  Jap- 
anese. 

Shinran  Shonin. —  Founder  of  the  Monto  or  Shin  sect  of  Budd- 
hism, 1173-1262. 

Shi-Tenno. —  Beneficent  demigods  who  guard  the  four  points 
of  the  compass:  Bishamon,  north;  Komoku,  south; 
Jikoku,  east;  Zocho,  west.  Stationed  at  the  mnergate  of 
a  temple,  the  Ni-6  at  the  outer* 

Shoga  (Takuma).—  Japanese  artist,  perfected  Takuma  school 
(Sung  style),  thirteenth  century. 

Shogun. —  Generalissimo  or  chief  of  the  military  class.  From 
the  twelfth  to  the  nineteenth  century  ruled  Japan  in  the 
name  of  the  (puppet)  Emperors. 

Shotoku  Taishi. —  Prince  Mumayado,  son  of  the  Emperor  Y6- 
mei,  called  the  Constantine  of  Buddhism,  572-621  A.  D. 

Six  Minor  Dynasties. —  Chinese,  between  Han  and  T'ang,  268- 
618  A.  D. 

S6-ami  (Shinso). — Japanese  artist,  chajin  and  aesthete,  flour- 
ished about  1480-1520. 

Sosen  (Mori). —  Japanese  artist,  Maruyama  school,  1747-1821. 

Sotatsu  (Tawaraja). —  Japanese  artist,  Koyetsu  school,  1624- 
1643. 

Sowa  (Kanamori). — Japanese  chajin  and  aesthete,  seventeenth 
century. 

Shubun  (S6ga-).~  Chinese  artist  adopted  into  the  Soga  family 

324 


GLOSSARY 

of  Asakura,  Echizen  Province.    Father  of  Soga  Jasoku. 

Flourished  during  the  fifteenth  century. 
Shubun   (So-). —  Japanese  artist,  pupil   of  Josetsu,  follower  of 

Hsia  Kuei,  teacher  of  Sesshu,  flourished  about  the  middle 

of  the  fifteenth  century. 
Suiko. —  Empress    of   Japan,    593-628    A.  D.,    in   art   the    Suiko 

Epoch. 
SumL—  Black  pigment  made  from  the  ash  of  burnt  rushes  mixed 

with  glue  though  there  are  various  secret  processes  in  its 

manufacture    both    Chinese    and    Japanese.    Moulded    in 

cake    form   sumi   is   dried   by   being   warmed    in    ashes. 

Paintings   in    this   medium  — the    "monochrome-/^'*   or 

"  India  ink  "   sketches   of   the   Zen   artists  —  are   rightly 

termed  sumi-ye,  as  ink  has  no  part  in  their  composition. 
Sung   Dynasty. — Chinese,   Northern   Sung,   960-1127.    Southern 

Sung,  1127-1280. 
Surya. —  Japanese     Nikko     Bosatsu,     the     Solar     Deity,     with 

Chandra  (Gwakko  Bosatsu)  one  of  the  Yakushi  "  trinity." 


Taishaku. — .The  Japanese  name  of  Indra,  one  of  the  Nio  or 

guardians  of  the  outer  temple  gate. 
Takayoshi    (Kasuga). —  Japanese    artist,    Old    Tosa    (Kasuga) 

school,  eleventh  century. 
Takuma. —  A  native  Japanese  school  of  painting  founded  upon 

Chinese   (Sung)   ideals.    Takuma  Tamenari  was  its  first 

notable  master,  eleventh  century. 
Tamenari  (Takuma). —  See  above  (Takuma). 
T'ang  Dynasty. —  Chinese,  618-907,  A.  D. 
Tannyu  (Morinobu). —  Japanese  artist,  eldest  son  of  Takanobu 

(second  son  of  Eitoku  Kano);  pupil  of  K6-i.    Founded 

Kajibashi  branch  of  the  Kano  school.    Born  in  Kyoto, 

1602;  died  at  Yedo,  1674. 
Tempei  Eras. —  Japanese,  Tempei-Shobo,  749-757;  Tempei-Hoji, 

757-765;  Tempei-Jingo,  765-767  A.  D. 
Tempyo  Era. —  Japanese,  729-749  A.  D. 
Tengu. —  A  long-nosed  wood  or  mountain  sprite. 

325 


GLOSSARY 

Tennin. —  In  Sanskrit  apsarasf  Buddhist  angels. 

Togan. —  Japanese  artist,  Unkoku  school,  sixteenth   century. 

Tohaku  (Hasegawa).—  Japanese  artist,  studied  under  Kano 
Shoyei  but  later  adopted  the  Sesshu  or  Unkoku  ideal. 
Born  1538;  died  1610. 

Toyeki. —  Japanese  artist,  Unkoku  school,  seventeenth  century. 

Tori. —  Naturalized  Chinese  originally  from  Wu  Province,  art- 
ists and  bronze-founders.  Karatsukuri  Tori  (Busshi),  the 
third  Tori,  cast  great  statues  at  Horyuji,  early  seventh 
century. 

U 

Unkei  (Bichu  Hoin). —  Japanese  sculptor  who  flourished  about 
1180-1215.  Worked  first  at  Nara,  later  at  Kamakura. 

W 

Wang  Meng. —  Chinese  artist,  Yuan  Dynasty,  flourished  about 

1330-1350  A.  D. 
Wang   Wei. —  Chinese   artist  and  poet,   T'ang   Dynasty.    Born 

699;  died  759  A.  D. 
Wu   Tao-tze. —  Chinese   artist,   T'ang   Dynasty,   flourished   first 

half  of  the  eighth  century. 
Wu  Wei. —  Chinese  artist,  Ming  Dynasty,  fifteenth  century. 


Yakushi.— God  of  Healing  with  Surya,  the  Solar,  and  Chandra, 
the  Lunar,  Deities  forming  one  of  the  Buddhist  trinities. 

Yamaguchi    Oguchi. —  Chinese    sculptor,    flourished    in    Japan 
about  the  middle  of  the  seventh  century. 

Yen   Hui. — Chinese  artist,  Yuan   Dynasty,  fourteenth  century. 
Compare  Gankt 

Yen  Li-pen. —  Chinese  artist,  T'ang  Dynasty,  flourished  about 
626-668  A.  D. 

Yen  Tzu-ping. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty,  twelfth 
century. 

Yen  Wen-kuei. —  Chinese  artist,  Southern  Sung  Dynasty,  elev- 
enth century. 

326 


GLOSSARY 

Yeri  Sozu.—  Priest  and  sculptor,  851-935  A.  D. 

Yoshimasa    (Ashikaga). —  Shogun,    art   patron,   builder   of   the 

Ginkakuji,  1449-1472. 
Yoshimitsu   (Ashikaga). —  Shogun,   art  patron,  builder  of   the 

Kingakuji,  1368-1394. 

Yuan  Dynasty.— Chinese  (Mongol),  1280-1368. 
Yueh-kan. —  Chinese    artist,    Southern    Sung    Dynasty,    twelfth 

century. 

Yukimitsu. —  Japanese  artist,  Tosa  school,  fourteenth  century. 
Yusho  (Kaihoku). —  Japanese  artist,  pupil  of  Kano  Eitoku,  1532- 

1615. 


327 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Amida,  17;  attendants, 
17-18;  of  Kamakura, 
112;  belief  in,  121, 
272;  see  Glossary. 

An-ami  (Kwaikei),  75- 
76. 

Art  Bureau,   70. 

Arhats  (rakan),  81-82, 
151. 

Armour,   94,   118-119. 

Awata  Palace,  218. 


Bayen   (Ma  Yuan),  145. 

Beads,  66  and  see  note 
below. 

Bishamon,    78,    157. 

Bronze,  statues,  14-15; 
17-19,  27-28,  33,  43- 
46,  48,  54,  58,  72,  95- 
96;  reliquaries,  34,  57- 
58,  64;  bells,  43,  70, 
77,  106,  221;  lanterns, 
74,  84-85,  288,  304, 
309;  candelabrum,  291. 

Buddha,  see  Shaka,  322. 

Buddhism,  2,  133-134, 
J6d6,  126-127;  Zen, 
124,  126,  142;  Shin- 
gon,  171. 

Bugaku-dance,   257. 

C. 

Calligraphy  ( sutrat ) ,  59 . 
Carnelian,  66  and  note. 
Ctladon,  Sung  Chinese, 

198;   Japanese,   221. 
Chandra,    19. 
Chang  Lu,  181. 
Chang  Yuch-hu,  213. 
Chao   Meng-chien,    217. 
Chiang  Sung,  218. 
CJWnkat,  173. 


Chin  Wakei,  73,  74,  79. 
Chion-in,    244-254. 
Chi-shan,  182. 
Chishd   Daishi,    271. 
Choshikyo,    217. 
Ch6s6-in,  217. 
Chou-chang,  209. 
Chung   Mu,   262. 
Chusonji,  158. 
Clay  figures,  22,  66,  78, 

88,    95,    138. 
Costume,   79,   118. 
Crystal,  66  and  note. 

D. 

Daibutsu,    Nara,    72-73; 

Kamakura,  74,  79,  111- 

114. 
Daibutsuden,    Nara,    70, 

75. 

Daido  Oshd,  149. 
DaigSji,    171. 
Dai  sen- in,     204. 
Dait6kuji,    198-214. 
Daruma,   143,  148,   150, 

189,  197. 

Dengyo    Daishi,    48. 
D6ryu,    121. 
Dozen,  69. 


Eiga  (Takuma),  99, 
168,  215-216. 

Eisai,   154. 

Eitoku  Kan6,  144,  176, 
196,  201,  215,  223, 
225,  248,  256,  259. 

Emma-6,  90,  119-120, 
140;  types  of,  163. 

Embroidery,  see  textiles. 

Enamel,  earliest  Japan- 
ese, 311. 

Enko  Daishi,  244. 

EnnSJi,    119-121. 

331 


Enryakuji,    125-126. 

Eshin  S6zu  (Oenshin), 
38,  77,  88-89,  95,  104, 
123,  237,  245,  261- 
252,  272,  274,  276. 

P. 

Fenollosa,      162,      200, 

208,   213,  233,  272. 
F6-chien,    151. 
Fud6  140,  159. 
Fujiwara,  82,  92-93,  141. 
Fumon,   215. 

G. 

Gandhara,   20. 
Ganki,    98,    200,    221. 
Garlands,         (cowhide), 

158. 

Gei-ami,   218. 
Gemmyd,   39. 
Genbd,  85. 
Genpin,  86. 
Genroku,    250. 
Genshin,   see   Eshin   S3- 

zu. 

Gessen,    253. 
Gi-en,   69. 

Ginkakftji,  237-243. 
Giogon,  50. 
GoDaigo,  106. 
G6d6shi,   146,   150,   202, 

208. 

Gold-leaf,  274. 
Gonsd,  271. 

Goroyemon    (Ono),    113. 
Greco-Bactria,    66. 
Greco-Buddhist,    35,    44, 

48,    67,    87-88,    97. 
Gukei,   220,   222. 
Gwangyd,  276. 
Gyoji    Bosatsu,    31,    45, 

53,  67,  72,  95,  118. 


INDEX 


Hachiman,     temple     of, 

117-118. 
Hangchou,   204. 
Han,    45. 
Haniwa,  66. 
Hanshun,  165. 
Hasegawa,      school      of, 

187. 

Hase,   114-116. 
Heij6-kyu-den,  palace  of, 

62. 

Hidendbu,   177,   248. 
Hideyoshi,      171,      184, 

249,   260. 
Hicisan,    134. 
Higashiyama,    school   of, 

193;   palace  at,  214. 
H6J6,  family  of,  111. 
H6-6-d6,   103-106. 
H6ryuji,    13-36;    Daiko- 

d6,     24;     Pagoda,    22; 

Kond6,    14;    H6z6,    25; 

Taishido,      29;      Yaku- 

shido,    30;    Kaminodo, 

31 ;      Yumedond,      32 ; 

Shariden,      34;      Dem- 

bodo,       34;        Chugftji 

Nunnery,   36;    Ikaruga, 

36. 
Hsian     (Siangfu),     134, 

156,   159. 
Hsu  Hsi,  250. 
Hiian-tsung,   146. 
Hui-tsung,  203-204. 

J. 

Jadeite,   66  note. 

Jasper,   66   note. 

Jasoku,    200,    210. 

Jewels,  66  and  note  "be- 
low. 

Jikaku   Daishi,    57. 

Jik6kuten,   91. 

Jingo,   118. 

Jingor6,  87,  94,  122- 
123,  255-256,  259. 

Jion  Daishi,   50,   91. 

Jish6-in,   237. 

J6ch6,  31,  75-77,  88, 
95,  261,  279-280. 

Jfichi,  276. 


J6d6,  121,  126-127,  252, 

273. 

J6kei,   83. 
Josetsu,    193. 
Jufukuji,    116. 
Juseki,    224. 
Jyoko,    112-113. 


Kamakura,  111;  Great 
Buddha  of,  112;  found- 
er of,  112;  Hase,  114- 
116;  Jufukuji,  116; 
Hachiman,  117-119; 
Ennoji,  119-120;  Ken- 
choji,  121-126;  K6- 
myoji,  126-127;  Koku- 
6nji,  127-129. 

Kanaoka  (Kose"  n6) , 
95,  164. 

Kanetada,    163. 

Kaneyasu,    140. 

Kasuga,  92;  Waka-miya, 
93;  Kagura,  93;  Gal- 
lery or  Museum,  94. 

Katsura  Summer  Pal- 
ace, 170. 

Keibun,    176. 

Kei    Bunkai,    245. 

Keion,    127. 

Keishoki,    124-125,    216. 

Kei  Shukun,  245. 

Kenchoji,    121. 

KhStan,   21,    157. 

Kimi-maru,    72. 

Kinkakuji,    228. 

Kinkara,   280. 

Kin-Tartars,    204. 

Kiu-ying,    250-251. 

K6ben,   90. 

K6b6     Daishi      (KOkai) , 
48,     56-57,     154,     160- 
164,  277. 
Kobori  Enshft,  170,  173, 

199,  211-212,  227. 
K6daiji   lacquer,    220. 
Kofukuji,     82 ;     To-Kon- 
do,    83;    Nanendd,    84; 
Kondo,    86. 
Kohoan,   210. 
K6-i,    145,    247,    257. 
Kokei,    75. 
K6ku5nji,   127. 

332 


Kdmydji,    126. 

KSrin,    145,     176,    197, 
235. 

K6ryuji,  183. 

Kose,   274. 

K6sh6,  52,  55,  57. 

K6-un    (J6kei),   83. 

Koyasan,  267-284;  Kon- 
gobftji,    271-276;    Kon- 
do,   278-279;    Mieid6, 
280-281;  Kanjoc:D,  281; 
Okush6-in,    282. 

Koyettsu,    145,    176. 

Kukai,  see  K6b3  Daichi. 

Ku  Kai-chih,  147. 

Kunitaka,  253. 

Kwaikei  (An-aml),  75- 
76. 

Kwammu,   133-136,   154. 

Kwannon,   26,   32. 

Kwantd,    117   note. 

Kyoto,  city,  133;  Chi- 
nese  influence,  156; 
Koryuji,  136-141;  T6- 
fukftji,  141-154;  T6ji, 
154-171;  DaigSji,  171- 
178 ;  Myoshinji,  178- 
198;  Daitokuji,  198- 
214;  Nanzenji,  214- 
218;  Awata,  218-228; 
Kinkakuji,  228-237; 
Ginkakuji,  237-244; 
Chion-in,  244-254;  Ni- 
shi-Hongwanji,  254- 
263. 


Lacquer,  dry,  26,  31,  33- 

36,   46,   53,   61,  65,  83, 

87-88,  157;  nashiji  29; 

pearl-inlaid,    31;    togi- 

daishai,  281;    "K3dai- 

Ji,"   220;   and  papier- 

m(Lcht,  63,   67;   masks 

of,     94;      negdrd-nuri, 

220. 

Lanterns,  74,  84-85,  94. 

Liang  Kai,  189. 

Li  Chen,   156,   160. 

Li  Lung-mien,  21,  150, 
190. 

Lo  Chuang,  212. 

Lu  Hsin-chung,  209. 


INDEX 


M. 


Lung-men  Caves,  67,  76-    Nehansd,    97,    149,    169, 
76.  186,   275. 

Ni-chokuan,   208. 
Nijo   Palace,    145. 
Matfatama    (Jewels),   66.    NikkO,   temples   of,   287- 
Ma   Kung-hien,   217.  304;    Y6mei-mon,    292- 

Ma  Lin,   181.  293;     Kara-mon,     293- 

Mandara,  57,  166;  use  294;  Haiden,  Oishi- 
no-ma,  Honden,  294- 
297;  tomb  of  lyeyasu, 
298-299;  Somen  Falls 
and  trees,  299;  Futa- 


of,    172. 

Marco   Polo,   204. 
Maruyama      cherry-tree, 

254. 
Masandbu   (Yusei),  175, 

201,  207. 

Masashige   (Nank6),  106. 
Matahei,    249,    270. 


ara  shrines,  300;  tern- 
pie  of  lyemitsu,  300- 
304;  tomb  of  lyemitsu, 
304- 


Ma  Yuan   (Bayen),  145,    Nio,    83-84,    117. 


213. 

Meiji  Tenno,  170. 
Meikira-Taisho,    88. 
Mieid6,  279. 


Nirvana,  97,  275;  date 
of  Buddha's,  149. 

Nishi-Hongwanji,  254- 
263. 


O. 

0-H6J8,   246. 

Ojin,   117. 

Oky3,      life      of,      169; 

paintings,    169,   227. 
Ozui,    256. 


Minch6      (Ch6     Densu),    N6-ami,    194-195,    211. 
life    of    148-149;    pic-    N6bumasa,    246. 
tures,      148-154,      216,    No-drama,   257,   259. 
236.  Noy6,   140. 

Mir6ku,  26. 
Mitsunobu  T6sa,   145. 
Mitsuoki   Tosa,    262. 
M6moyama,    175. 
Montoshi,   87-88. 
M6t8mitsu  Kasuga    (To- 
sa), 94,   164-165. 
Mounds      (Imperial     tu- 
muli),  66. 
Muchi     (Mdkkei),     125, 

145,  170,  213. 
Muchaku    (Asanga),    89. 
Miimayado  Prince    (Sh6- 
t6ku   Taishi),   29,   136, 
139. 

Murasaki  Shikibu,  262. 
Murdock,  133-136,  237. 
My6shinji,  178-198. 


N. 

Nagoya,    145. 
Nakatomi-no     Kamanari 

Fujiwara),    82,    92. 
Nanzenji,    214-218. 
Naon6bu,  145,  246,  249. 
Nara,  11-99. 
Narayana,  75. 


17;  wall-paintings,  20- 
21;  in  China,  21  note; 
Chinese  critic  on,  51; 
T'ang  Style,  91-92; 
146,  150,  160,  162- 
164,  166;  Sung  style, 
81,  99,  124,  144,  150- 
151,  154,  167-168,  179- 
181,  191-193,  201,  262. 


Eengy8,   64. 
Eeiun-in,  179. 
Einkwa-in,    187. 
Rinzo,   14S. 
Bdben,  65-66,  68. 
Bushana,    61,   71,    112. 
Bydbu  Shinto,  72;  archi- 
tectural, 118. 
Byokei,    256. 
Eyut6ki,    90. 


Sadandbu,   see  Kd-i. 

Saidaiji,    52-56. 

Sanraku,  144,  173,  177, 
195,  196-197,  258,  261. 

Sculpture,  Chinese,  15, 
26,  63,  66-67,  75-76, 
88,  104,  158;  Korean, 
15,  32,  55,  72,  96; 
Japanese,  23,  28,  33, 
37-38,  46-48;  52-53, 
63-64,  66-69,  74-75, 
78-79,  83-90,  95-97, 
104,  112,  115,  117, 
119-120,  123,  128, 
137-139,  142-143,  160, 
171,  187,  231,  243, 
245,  255-256,  259,  261, 
279-280,  288,  290,  292- 
294,  296-297,  300-304, 
308-310;  Gandhara  in- 
fluence, 32,  55,  96; 
Greco-Buddhist,  20,  35- 
44,  48,  67. 

Sekkei    (Sosetsu),   174. 
Sen-n6  Bikyu,  200,  210, 
241. 

Sen-subun,   125. 
Seshiu,   89. 

Sesshu,    124,    146,    211, 
269-270. 

Shaka,      see      Glossary, 
322. 


Shin- 

'STl'si,212'     sit™,,    95-99. 
Shitaku,    61,    63. 
Shi-Tenno,    19,    42,    62, 
67,    77,    86,    139,    142, 


Bakan.    (arhats),     81-82, 


151. 


157,  275. 


333 


INDEX 


Sh8ga      (Tftkuma),     99, 

167;   life  of,  168-169. 
ShSichi     Kokushi,     149, 

152. 

Shdmu,  26. 
Shoso-in,    82. 
Shotoku   TaisM    (Muma- 

yado),   29,   139. 
Shumisen   (Sumeru),  22. 
S6-ami,    192,    195,    197, 

200,  204-205,  226,  236. 
Sotatsu,   174,  176. 
Stein,   274. 

Sui  Dynasty,  13,  158. 
Suiko,    16,   22,   28,   139. 
Surya,  19. 

T. 

Tdbdtdlco,  253. 
Taimen-no-ma,   255. 
TakaySshi,    164-165. 
Takuma,    64,    81,    97-98, 

167,   173-174. 
Tamenari,    98,    104-106. 
Tankei,  26,  29. 
Tanyft   Kan6,    122,    145, 

171,      183,      212,      215, 

221,    224,    282, 
Tea-ceremony     (cha    n6- 

yu),    193,    212,    242. 
Tenjuau,   215. 
Textiles,     27-28,     38-39, 

45,    70,    12«,    217. 
TSdaiji,      64-82 ;      Sang- 

watsudS,    65;    Nigwat- 

sudo,  68;  Robendo,  68; 


Daibutsuden,  69;  Nan- 
dai-mon,  74;  Bell  and 
Bell-Tower,  77;  Kai- 
dando,  77;  Shoso-in, 
82. 

•Tofukuji,    141-154. 

Togudo  Hall,  237. 

Tohaku,   188. 

Tokiyori,    119,    123-124. 

Tokyo,  Shiba  temples, 
307-312. 

Tosa,  165,  176,  202, 
206,  262,  277. 

Toshodaiji,    59-63. 

Tsunendbu,   185. 

Tsunetaka,   165. 

U. 

UJi,   H6-6-d6,   By6-d6-in, 

103-107. 
Unkei,    25,    48,    55,    75, 

89,    117-119,    138. 
Uzemasa,   136. 

V. 

Vajrapani,   75. 
Vajra,  96. 
Vyakara,  97. 

W. 

Waka-miya,     Nara,     93; 

Kamakura,   118. 
Wan  Kuo-chen,   218. 
Wei  Dynasty,  art  of,  42, 

66. 
Wu    Tao-tze    (Goddshi), 


104,      146,     150,     202, 
208. 
Wu   Wei,    181-182,    202. 

Y. 

Yakushi,  20. 

Yakushiji,    39-48. 

Yamagfichi,    19,    78. 

Yasunobu,    145,    220. 

Yen  Hui,  81,  150,  189, 
214. 

Yenni  (Shoichi  Koku- 
shi), 141,  149,  152. 

Yen  Tzu-ping,  209. 

Yeri  S6zu,  164. 

Yorimasa,   106. 

Yoritomo,  78,  lli-112, 
119,  128. 

Yoshimasa,  175,  204, 
237. 

Yoshimitsu,  175,  204, 
228-237. 

Y6t6ku-in,    209. 

Yuan,   82,   150. 

Yuima,    83. 

Yflkimitsu,    Tosa,    207. 

Yukinobu,  Kano,   206. 

Yusei,   see   Masanobu. 

Yusetsu,    Kaihoku,    256. 

Yfltei,   Ishida,    173. 


Zen,     121-122,    124-126, 

141,    154,    184,    191. 
Zengettsu,  190. 


334 


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